More than one in four British mothers who returned to work feel discriminated against, according to a survey from a legal firm. Researchers asked 1,975 women about their work experiences before and after giving birth. Most of the women had never complained as they suspected it would be a waste of time and damage their careers. Mothers complained about not being promoted and of junior employees moving faster up the career ladder. Another common complaint was their ideas being considered less useful than those of colleagues without children.

Many managers and employers disagree with the survey. A British industry association 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." A politician said the government is making sure that businesses use all women's talents "throughout the organisation, from boardroom to the shop floor". Lawyer Kiran Daurka was shocked that women did not talk about discrimination. She said employers avoided the issues and buried their heads in the sand.