Changes to maternity legislation, introduced from 1 April, are resulting in an increased reluctance to employ women, particularly among small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), according to research commissioned by Citrix Online.

The research revealed that 53% of employers believe the new regulations are making some managers think twice about recruiting women.
The Citrix Online survey also uncovered widespread ignorance about the new maternity legislation, with 34% of SMEs unaware of the changes. It found that 30% of employers thought it would be harder to retain talented women in the workforce and a further 26% believe the latest changes would have a commercially negative impact.

Simon Presswell, managing director, Europe, Middle-East and Africa, Citrix Online, says: “In spite of the government’s best efforts to encourage employers to provide a family-work balance, our research has shown that attitudes, particularly amongst SMEs, have been slow to change.”