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Legal Battles for Working Parents

Legal Battles for Working Parents Podcast featured image

Legal Battles for Working Parents and How This Working Mum Has Smashed the Glass Ceiling in Her Industry to Become a Partner at an International Law Firm

Are you a working parent struggling to balance work and family life? Do you feel like you need more support from your employer? Then you won’t want to miss this episode of the Work It Like a Mum podcast, where Elizabeth talks to Hannah Wilkins, a Lawyer and Partner at Eversheds Sutherland, about her experiences as a working mum and her role as a working parent champion within the firm’s gender network.

Hannah and Liz discuss discrimination against working mums, the UK’s laws protecting parents, and the need for more support for fertility rights. We also discuss reducing the gender pay gap, the importance of flexible working, and setting boundaries as a working parent. Hannah shares some great insights into the benefits of diversity groups within organisations and the initiatives Eversheds Sutherland has implemented to support working parents.

So grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, get cosy, and get ready to be inspired to chase your boldest dreams or just survive Mondays. As Hannah says, “Be focused and ruthless with time, as working parents have less of it.”

Tune in now to hear more from Hannah and learn how to succeed as a working parent.

Time Stamps:

Discrimination against working mums [00:04:26] Hannah discusses the positive changes in awareness and protection for working parents but notes that more needs to be done to combat discrimination against working mums.

UK’s laws protecting parents [00:05:35] Hannah explains that the UK fares well in protecting parents, particularly with the length of maternity leave, but notes that there are still cultural challenges to be addressed.

Need for more support for fertility rights [00:07:19] Hannah discusses the need for more support for fertility rights, noting that while some businesses have fertility policies in place, there is currently limited legislative protection in the UK.

Parental Leave and Childcare in the Nordics [00:08:31] Hannah discusses the advanced approach to parental leave and childcare in the Nordics, which could help reduce the gender pay gap in the UK.

Flexible Working and Remote Meetings [00:12:10] Hannah emphasises the importance of flexible working, including remote meetings, in supporting parents at work and retaining women in the workforce.

Impact of Socialising on Parents’ Careers [00:14:21] Hannah talks about the effects of socialising on parents’ careers, how it has changed post-pandemic, and the need to set expectations when returning as a working parent.

Setting Boundaries [00:15:48] Advice on setting boundaries for working mums, negotiating with bosses, and prioritising events.

Definition of Success [00:18:44] How becoming a parent changed Hannah’s definition of success, balancing work and family and setting a steady pace for career growth.

Working Parent Champion [00:21:23] Hannah’s involvement in the gender network’s working parent group, initiatives for supporting working parents, and diverse voices in the group.

Work Parents Panel [00:22:51] Hannah talks about the Work Parents Panel event held by Eversheds Sutherland’s gender network. Many people attended the event, and they discussed the opportunities and challenges of being a working parent.

Benefits of Diversity Groups [00:25:01] Hannah explains the benefits of having diversity groups in an organisation, including retention, community building, and giving a voice to employees.

Family life outside the office shapes how working parents use the support their employers offer, and separation is one of the harder situations to work through while holding down a demanding role. Parents going through a split often consult a divorce attorney early to sort out custody arrangements and how time with children will be divided week to week. Getting those details settled in writing tends to reduce the stress that spills over into the working day.

Parental Leave Policies [00:25:58] Hannah discusses some good parental leave policies that companies can implement, such as fertility policies, paid paternity leave, and the ability to have childcare in or around the office. She also emphasises the importance of encouraging dads to take parental leave and having good role models in the workplace.

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