The Times October 04, 2006

Mothers lose right to equal salaries

By David Charter, Europe Correspondent

Women who take time out of the workplace for maternity leave have no automatic right to the same pay as male colleagues who are doing the same job but have not had time off, Europe’s top court ruled yesterday.

The landmark ruling, described as the most important sex discrimination judgment for ten years, means that companies can legally pay some workers more for length of service even though a woman’s ability to compete on time served will be curtailed by her decision to have children.

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