Pregnant or on Maternity Leave in 2027? The New Protections Coming Your Way
Last reviewed: October 2026 If you are expecting a baby, planning one, or due back…
You Now Have Six Months, Not Three: What the New Tribunal Time Limit Means for Mums
Last reviewed: October 2026 If you have ever been pushed out of a job while…
Posted inCareers Coach Blog More than just a mum Mothers' rights at work Staying sane at work Tips for working mums Work and career tips and advice
The Invisible Load: A No-BS Guide for Working Mums Demanding More
The Hidden Reality of Working Motherhood in 2025
The landscape for working mothers in 2025 has reached a critical tipping point. While workplaces now offer hybrid models, remote options, and wellness initiatives, the reality remains that these ‘solutions’ often shift even more responsibility onto mothers. Behind the scenes of polished Zoom meetings and flexible schedules lies an undeniable truth: working mothers are carrying an invisible load that’s both overwhelming and exhausting.
In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg observed, “We need to stop telling women they can have it all and start supporting them to have what they need.” The conversation has shifted from whether women can ‘balance it all’ to whether workplaces and partners are doing enough to support them.
Understanding the invisible load isn’t just about recognising it—it’s about addressing it head-on, demanding more from systems that continue to undervalue women’s contributions both at home and at work.
Can You Be Sacked For Looking After Your Child While Working From Home In The UK?
Balancing work and family life can often feel like walking a tightrope, especially when things go sideways—like when your child wakes up with a raging fever or their nursery shuts its doors unexpectedly.
For many working parents, one pressing question often pops up in those moments of panic:
“Can I actually be sacked for taking time off to look after my child?”
The good news? No, you can’t legally be dismissed for taking time off to care for your child as long as you follow the rules. Let’s break it down step by step so you know exactly where you stand and can confidently handle any childcare crisis that comes your way.
Can I work During My Maternity Leave?
Maternity Leave is designed to allow you to rest and recover throughout the first months of your baby’s life, which means that there are some restrictions on working during your leave. These rules are in place to encourage you to relax and make the most of your leave, as well as to make sure that you do not get more payments than you are entitled to receive.
Posted inHow to cope with problems at work Maternity leave Mothers' rights at work Pregnancy at work Staying Sane Tips for working mums Work and career tips and advice
4 Ways to Make Returning to Work After Maternity Leave as Painless (and Stress-Free)as Possible
Returning to work after maternity leave can have mixed feelings. I know this for sure because my sentiments were quite different after each of my two maternity leaves.
For our first child, I remember crying all the way to the train station. It was nothing, in particular, just the thought of leaving him with anyone, compounded by the guilt at even thinking about heading back to work, leaving my first fruits with complete strangers.
Posted inMothers' rights at work Tips for working mums Work and career tips and advice Work and money Work, Business, Money
Redundancy – Part 3: Social Media is Your New Weapon
In the third and final part of our redundancy series, we look at how you…
Posted inHow to cope with problems at work Mothers' rights at work Tips for working mums Work and career tips and advice Work, Business, Money
Redundancy – Part 2: How to Do a Career Evaluation
If you have just found out that you are being made redundant from work, it…
Posted inCareers Coach Blog How to look for a job Mothers' rights at work Tips for working mums Work and career tips and advice Work, Business, Money
Redundancy – Part 1: What to Do When You Are Laid Off
Gender equality issues have come a long way since Emily Pankhurst and the Suffragettes put their lives at risk to fight for women’s right to vote. However, there are still a lot of kinks to iron out in employment law and the daily reality us working mums face.
Redundancy is just another area of concern. Pregnant working women are twice as likely to be made redundant than any other working woman. The Fawcett Society (the UK charity that campaigns for gender equality and women’s rights at work, home and in public life) have been striving with Maternity Action to ban employers from making pregnant women redundant.
Posted inHow to cope with problems at work Mothers' rights at work Pregnancy at work Work, Business, Money
What happens when you take your employer to a tribunal?
Yesterday, we gave you a rundown on what to expect at work during your pregancy from first to second, to third trimester. Today, we’ll be looking at what to do if your employer turns nasty during your pregnancy.
Making a decision to take your employer to a tribunal won’t have been easy. However, if you don’t do something about it, they get away with it and will likely do it again. Every wonan has the right to be treated fairly at work – pregnancy can be stressful enough if you have health issues; and there’s so much you may already have on your mind in prepapration for your bundle of joy anyway, so havig issues at work just compounds the issue.
The one thing working mothers don’t often think about when deciding to go back to work
Making a decision about if, when and how to return to work after having a baby is one fraught with complexity and is utterly personal. It is certainly a topic that lots of people feel strongly about, but each family has to make its own decision about what is right for them, and there is lots to consider. Suzanne Todd, head of family law at Withers Worldwide (and a working mum herself!), provides a comment piece on the stories behind recent stats on the number of working mums.
Posted inEditor's word How to cope with problems at work Mothers' rights at work Work, Business, Money
That time I was harassed at work
Every other news story this past month seems to be about the inappropriate behaviour of men in sectors from film (aka the alleged Harvey Weinstein) to politics. Industry big wigs seem to have, for years, got away with treating women any way they wish.
Some critics have blamed women for dressing inappropriately, not standing up for themselves and even for putting themselves in a vulnerable situation themselves.
Posted inChildren & Relationships More than just a mum Mothers' rights at work Real mums Tips for working mums Work and money
New year: your new approach to being a working mum
Do you feel like you have to constantly prove yourself in the workplace because you’re a working mum? With most of us having a few days off because of the Christmas and bank holidays, this is your chance to go back to work renewed and ready to stand firm!
We don’t ask to be treated like martyrs, or for a medal, neither do we ask for special treatment, just because we have children. Most of us working mums just want to get on – by that I mean getting on with the work we’re being paid to do. Most of us want to get in with that work without feeling as though every step we take in the workplace is being scrutinised in case any semblance of life outside it is impacting on our work or how we do it.
Are you safe at work? Find out if you really are…
There'sa misconception that all of us working mums sit behind a computer all day, work…
Back-to-work tips to boost your confidence in the workplace
Re-entering the workplace isn’t an easy task, especially if you’ve spent the past few years…
Posted inCareers Coach Blog Children & Relationships Mothers' rights at work Work and career tips and advice
Getting back into work as a mother of a child with special needs
Balancing work and parenting can be hard for most people, but there can be a multitude of additional challenges if you are the parent of a child with special needs. Ensuring that you are supported throughout this process and beyond is incredibly important:
Should women get leave for period pains?
On my drive this morning, listening to LBC Radio in the car, I heard an interesting feature asking listeners if they think that women should get a day off for period pains. My initial response was complete shock: isn’t it enough that maternity leave, emergency childcare and just plain old annual leave can raise eyebrows when you’re a working mum, but period pain leave? Really?
Should you go back to work after maternity leave?
The working mum vs stay-at-home mum debate is so old, we grimace every time a piece of ‘research’ tries to pit mums against each other.
The real issue is staying relevant in an ever-changing world, where not staying on top of your game can cost you to sacrifice salary or even your beloved career.
Posted inMothers' rights at work
Know your rights: Don’t get stuck in the maternity leave trap
According to the Equal Opportunities Commission, around 30,000 UK mums-to-be lose their jobs every year because they are pregnant. For those who do return to work, many find that they are treated so badly that they have no option but to leave – or they’re demoted.
How to relaunch your career…the three C’s you should consider
Whether you’re returning to work after a break to look after the children or have wound up a business, there are three things that you should consider before agreeing new terms for a job (old or new).