Women Solicitors’ Views on Employment Law

  
Jobs Employment, Career Job, Employment Job

By Jess Moss

A recent survey has revealed some interesting opinions and feelings amongst many female solicitors. The survey was carried out by the Association of Women Solicitors and Kings College and 800 female solicitors were quizzed on their opinions of such things as flexible working, women’s promotion prospects and working hours.

Perhaps disturbingly, but not necessarily surprisingly, the survey revealed that many women solicitors, tasked daily with promoting employment law and fairness did not necessarily see things as fair within their own profession. Indeed, the study suggested that a significant number of the lawyers questioned felt that taking up flexible working arrangements would be detrimental to their careers.

Half of all the women surveyed claimed to believe that women lawyers who worked on a flexible basis were ‘viewed as less serious about their careers’ than women who did not. Such findings are a serious blow to employment law makers as they suggest that even in the white collar professions, inequality may still be a problem, or at least a perceived problem.

Additionally, half of the women solicitors who responded to the survey felt they worked too many hours each week, with 41% working more than 48 hours, both in the office and at home. A staggering 96% claimed to want a career which would allow them to combine personal and family life with their job, suggesting that many may not already feel able to integrate home and work life.

Regarding flexible working arrangements, a third of women solicitors described themselves as dissatisfied with the provisions for flexible working and 44% believed that flexible working had a detrimental effect on potential promotion prospects.

The opinions of these women solicitors seem to suggest that certain white collar professions are still a long way from resolving the conflict of work and family life for female employees. However, despite the negative sounding responses, the survey found women lawyers were generally very happy with their jobs, with an impressive 80% saying they got ‘real enjoyment’ from their work and more than three quarters saying they were ‘deeply committed’ to their job.

Employment Law and the Icelandic Volcano

  
Jobs Employment, Career Job, Employment Job

  By Jess Moss

The Icelandic volcano has a lot to answer for. It has scuppered holiday plans and left thousands of British people stranded across the world. It has caused economic problems and dominated the news. But what about its implications regarding employment law?

Employment law probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when discussing the knock on effects of the volcanic ash, but there are thousands of employees stranded abroad and many others in the UK who had booked holiday time this week but are now unable to travel. So what does UK employment law state about circumstances like this?

With an estimated 150,000 Brits stranded abroad, it’s no small number of companies who will have found themselves short staffed following the Easter break. Employers are therefore reminded that they are not alone in being short staffed and inconvenienced and that they should therefore try and maintain good relations with employees. Disciplinary action against employees unable to return to work would be seen as contrived to employers should offer the chance to take holiday or unpaid leave.

However, employees who are away on business trips have the right to expect their employer to carry on paying them in full as long as they remain stranded, whilst trying to find them work that can be performed via the internet for example.

Employees who have booked holidays and cannot go may ask to return to work instead. Allowing them to rearrange holiday is not an obligation of the employer but can be done at their discretion. Where possible it is a good idea because it will help to maintain good employer-staff relations.
The question of what airline staff are doing with their time this week is an interesting one. Airlines are obliged to find work for them to do, unless they have a lay-off or short time working clause in their employment contracts. If they do, they may wish to implement it to prevent employees coming to work.