Latest Women in Business Questions and Answers
How should I prepare for my maternity leave?
I am a manager of a small business with ten employees. I am due to give birth in two weeks and I am worried about the business during my maternity leave. How should I prepare?
Holiday pay for maternity leave employee
A part-time employee is due to go on maternity leave, and still has six days' holiday owing to her by December. Do I have to pay her all six days' holiday pay at the start of her maternity leave? She is not entitled to SMP.
Can I work on my business while claiming maternity benefit?
I am currently employed part time with a baby due in November. I intended to take maternity leave; however, my husband and I are starting a business. Can I work on it at all while claiming maternity benefit? (I won't be working as much as I intend to after maternity).
Childcare support if self-employed
I have set up my own business after the birth of my daughter. It was impossible, due to an inflexible employer, to continue in employment. I would like to know if there are any childcare voucher schemes available to self-employed parents similar to those offered to employed parents?
How to find your clients
I am very new at this and have just started my own bookkeeping business working from home. I am finding it very hard to find clients. Do you have any advice?
Asking to see CRB check certificates
I am a foster carer and cannot leave anyone in the home whom has not had Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks. I have an employee who I have emailed and asked to copy her CRB and Insurance certificates to send to me. However, she has refused saying it is against the Data Protection act. Can I demand to see it and threaten to fire her if she doesn’t show me?
Laws of discrimination
We are an ironing service looking to employ staff to carry out ironing in their own homes on a casual basis. Can we advertise for non-smoking/clean environment when recruiting?
Claiming back childcare costs
I am self employed. Can I claim my childcare cost of part of it and off set it as part of my expenses as I cannot run my business with out the childcare?
Support while on maternity leave
I have been self-employed for nearly one year and I have a baby due soon. What, apart from MA, can I get to keep the business running whilst I am on maternity leave? I have no staff at present and accounts have yet to be done to show if the business can afford to employ someone.
