Mothers face workplace discrimination (10th August, 2013)

Before Reading... 

WOMEN'S TALENTS: Rank me!!!Put the ones women do better:

• manage companies   • drive   • cook   • give good advice

• be creative   • debate   • give advice   • be fair

SYNONYM MATCH:Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	conducted	a.	acknowledge
2	suspected	b.	opinions
3.	grievances	c.	differ from
4.	points of view	d.	carried out
5.	colleagues	e.	all over
6.	contrast	f.	thought
7.	recognise	g.	dodging
8.	committed	h.	complaints
9.	throughout	i.	coworkers
10.	avoiding	j.	dedicated

The Pros and Cons 

More than one in four British mothers who have returned to work feel discriminated against. This is according to a survey conducted by the legal firm Slater and Gordon (S&G). Researchers questioned 1,975 women about their experiences in the workplace before and after giving birth. Most of the women had never filed any kind of complaint as they suspected it would be a waste of time and be even more detrimental to their career prospects. Grievances aired in the survey included mothers being overlooked for promotion, and more junior employees progressing faster up the career ladder. Another common gripe was their points of view being considered less worthy than those of colleagues without children.


The findings contrast with the opinions of managers and employers. A director at Britain's Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said: "We don't recognise the picture painted here. Our experience is that…businesses are better than ever at managing maternity leave and reintegrating mothers on their return." The UK's employment minister Jo Swinson said: "The government is committed to making sure that more businesses make the best use of women's talents throughout the organisation, from boardroom to the shop floor." S&G lawyer Kiran Daurka said: "It is shocking that so few women speak out when they suffer discrimination." She accused employers of avoiding the issues and of "burying their heads in the sand". 

Exercises... 

TRUE / FALSE

a.	Half of British mothers face discrimination at work.	T / F
b.	A legal firm interviewed 19,750 working mothers.	T / F
c.	Most of those interviewed had never complained about discrimination.	T / F
d.	Mothers complained about their opinions being less valuable.	T / F
e.	Employers and business leaders agreed with the survey's findings.	T / F
f.	A business leader said maternity leave is better than ever before.	T / F
g.	A lawyer isn't surprised women do not speak out about discrimination.	T / F
h.	The lawyer said employers bury their heads in the sand.	T / F

Choose the BEST answers

1)	More than one in four British mothers who have returned to work ______
	a.  feel discriminated again b.  feel discriminated against c.  feel discriminated aghast d.  feel discriminated a gangster
2)	Most of the women had never filed any ______
	a.  kind of compliant b.  kind of complainant c.  kind of complaint d.  kind of complaints
3)	Grievances aired in the survey included mothers being ______
	a.  overbooked for promotion b.  overly looked for promotion c.  over looking for promotion d.  overlooked for promotion
4)	more junior employees progressing faster up ______
	a.  the career ladder b.  the career larder c.  the career bladder d.  the career ladders
5)	their points of view being considered less worthy than ______
	a.  those of colleague b.  those of colleges c.  those of colleagues d.  those of colleague
6)	The findings contrast with the opinions of ______
	a.  managers and employer b.  managers and employees c.  managers and employers d.  managers and employs
7)	businesses are better than ever at managing maternity leave and ______
	a.  reintegrating mothers b.  reintegration mothers c.  reintegrated mothers d.  reintegrates mothers
8)	committed to making sure that more businesses make the best use ______
	a.  of women's talons b.  of women's talents c.  of women's talent d.  of women's talented
9)	It is shocking that so few women speak out when they ______
	a.  suffers discrimination b.  suffered discrimination c.  suffering discrimination d.  suffer discrimination
10)	avoiding the issues and of "burying their ______"
	a.  heads in the sand b.  heads in the sandy c.  head in the sand d.  heads on the sand

source: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1308/130810-workplace_discrimination.html