81% of recruiters 'would ask women about family plans if this was legal'

Nearly four fifths of managers would enquire about women jobseekers' family plans if this was not illegal, new research shows.

A study published by www.hirescores.com reveals that 92 per cent of businesses would choose a married man over a pregnant woman if they were equally qualified, although none would admit this.

Females aged between 26 and 35 years old are the most likely to be penalised, with one in three identifying this demographic as the one they are most cautious of when recruiting.

Lisette Howlett, managing director of the researcher, claims this raises a number of difficult issues.

She states: "These are potentially the very employees [that] smaller, less competitive employers might benefit from considering since they can tap into a talent base that might otherwise be overlooked."

The Trades Union Congress has called on the government to announce its continuing support of family-friendly legislation aimed at reducing gender inequalities in the workplace.

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Filed: 12-03-2009