Should women be honest about their plans to start a family during job interviews?

Women who are planning to start a family should tell their potential employer, urges Lord Alan Sugar.

Lord Alan Sugar is known for his no-nonsense approach to business, but his straight forward comments about mothers in the workplace have sparked debate.

The multi-millionaire has attacked laws in which employers are banned from interviewing women about their plans to start a family.

Lord Sugar, who hosts the BBC show The Apprentice, urged women to be upfront in job interviews and get it 'all out in the open'.

‘Women should be forthcoming when being interviewed, declaring their status regarding children and childcare,' said Lord Sugar.

‘I would be very impressed by a person who settled the matter at the outset, telling me how they are going to organise their life in order to do their job but, more importantly, how they are going to get on with the job in hand – what they are going to bring to the party. Such people would jump up in my estimation.’

Sugar, has previously argued that the way to get round the laws protecting women was not to employ them.

'The employment regulations for women, whereby the prospective employer is not able to inquire about the interviewee’s status regarding children or childcare – or indeed their intention of becoming a parent – are counterproductive,' he said. 'Some women may agree with me on this.’

Do working women want it all? What about women who have chosen not to have children but then have to cover for parents rushing home to look after their child?

What about the employer? Is it right that they spend time and money training someone for a job, only to have them take maternity leave a few weeks later?

Do you agree with Lord Sugar, or ishe missing the point completely? We want to hear your thoughts by posting a comment below.

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