Pregnant women face workplace hostility and ‘sham redundancies’, Australian human rights report finds

Key points

• Women are being pushed out of work through what the Australian Human Rights Commission calls sham redundancies, along with lost shifts and hostile workplaces after having a baby. The commission's Balancing Act report warns that parental discrimination remains a major barrier to gender equality, and says it is more common for immigrant and First Nations women, people with disability and LGBTQ+ people.
• Sex discrimination commissioner Anna Cody called for urgent law reform, saying women often delay telling employers about pregnancies for fear of losing work.
• A 2024 survey found 89% of parent workers reported discrimination during pregnancy.