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Guidelines aimed at educating employers about their obligations and responsibilities in relation to pregnant staff members have been launched  by the Minister for Women's Affairs, Jan Wade.

The guidelines, titled `Pregnancy in Employment' have been produced by the Equal Opportunity Commission.

The plain English, eight page, Guidelines feature four main parts:

• An explanation of State and Federal law relating to pregnancy.
• Detail when discrimination on the basis of pregnancy is prohibited, before a woman is employed and during her employment.
• Exceptions to the law, such as when the health or safety of the pregnant woman is at risk.
• Answers to commonly asked questions by employers.

In the 1997-98 financial year, the Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission received 55 pregnancy in employment-related complaints, an increase from 29 the previous year.

(News Release, Office of the Minister for Women's Affairs, August 18, 1998)