Pregnant women continue to encounter discrimination in and around the workplace. Nearly half (45%) of women in the labor market—about 65,000 each year—experience this, with some even losing their jobs. The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights is calling on affected women to report these incidents via www.mensrechten.nl/zwanger.
Pregnancy discrimination occurs when employers refuse jobs, alter workplace treatment, or discriminate based on pregnancy or young children. Protections cover recruitment, terms of employment, working conditions, training, promotions, return from leave, contract termination, and non-renewal of temporary contracts.
Key Facts on Pregnancy Discrimination
- 45% of women balancing pregnancy and work report experiences that legally qualify as discrimination.
- 44% of women on temporary contracts say their contracts were not extended (partly) due to pregnancy.
- 38% report last-minute contract cancellations or changed conditions because of pregnancy.
- 13% faced disadvantages like missed promotions, salary increases, training, permanent contracts, or hour extensions due to pregnancy or motherhood.
- Among 10% of women returning to the same employer post-leave, tasks were reassigned without notice; 5% were demoted.
- 3% of women on permanent contracts were fired (partly) due to pregnancy.
- About half of women face unpleasant workplace experiences, such as poor colleague/manager relations or breastfeeding challenges, not always legally discriminatory.
