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DEL.ICIO.USPregnancy discrimination complaints jump, especially for women of color
Were you discriminated against while you were pregnant? Do you think women try to keep their pregnancies hidden as long as possible to protect their careers?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thirty years after the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) was enacted on Oct. 31, 1978, a new study finds that discrimination complaints have increased greatly and are affecting women of color at a much higher rate than white women.
A new study released by the National Partnership for Women and Families found that in 2007, working women in the United States filed 65 percent more complaints of pregnancy discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) than they filed in 1992.
The press release states: “The new study finds that race and ethnicity appear to be playing a significant role in the rise of pregnancy discrimination complaints. During the discrete period from FY1996 to FY2005, claims filed by women of color jumped 76 percent, while claims overall increased by 25 percent. During that time, complaints filed by Black women increased by 45 percent, by Hispanic women by 135 percent, by Asian/Pacific Islander women by 90 percent, and by American Indian/Alaska Native women by 109 percent. More than half the claims filed with the EEOC during that period (53 percent) were filed in service, retail trade and the financial services, insurance and real estate industries - where some seven in 10 women work.”
“ ‘It is truly sobering that, 30 years after our nation outlawed discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, so many women are forced to file complaints with the EEOC,’ said National Partnership for Women & Families President Debra L. Ness. ‘We are especially concerned that so many women of color face pregnancy discrimination, and that employers in industries dominated by women workers are not obeying the law. Negative stereotypes about women, particularly pregnant women, clearly persist. We must strengthen enforcement of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act to make real the promise of equal opportunity in this country.’ ”
“The new study finds that, from FY1996 to FY2005, 38 states recorded an increase in pregnancy discrimination charges filed with the EEOC. Thirteen states (Arkansas, Iowa, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Vermont and Washington) and Puerto Rico saw increases of more than 50 percent in claims during this period.”
“ ‘The increase in complaints about pregnancy discrimination far outpaced the increase in women in the workforce during this time period,’ said National Partnership General Counsel Jocelyn Frye, who authored the report. ‘Because many women who face pregnancy discrimination are reluctant to file charges with the EEOC, the problem may be even more widespread than these figures suggest.’ ”
I asked the Partnership for Women & Families why they thought minorities were showing larger increases. Here’s the answer from General Counsel Frye.
“There is not a definitive answer to why minority groups are affected more by pregnancy discrimination, as there could be a number of factors in play. First, it could be related to negative stereotypes and attitudes about women of color — where the combination of gender bias and race or ethnic bias risk subjecting women of color to greater hostility or discrimination. Second, we have certainly speculated that it could also be related to the types of jobs women of color hold — many are disproportionately working in lower wage jobs with less opportunity for advancement. Third, it also could indicate greater awareness of discrimination. An increase in claims could reflect increased knowledge of the law and protections against pregnancy discrimination.”
Frye continued: “While we do not have enough information to come up with a definitive answer, the data at a minimum provides a compelling reason to look further and determine whether there are targeted enforcement efforts — for example, aimed at jobs where claims are highest, or where women of color work the most — that are effective in reducing the rate of pregnancy discrimination complaints.”
What do you think: Are you surprised by these numbers? Have you or your friends ever been discriminated against because you were pregnant? Did you file a complaint? Did you know you could file a complaint? Did you worry that good assignments or promotions would be kept from you when your employer found out you were pregnant? Did you try to keep your pregnancy under wraps for as long as possible?
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By JATL
November 6, 2008 8:02 AM | Link to this
I did not keep my pregnancy a secret at all, but I worked for a progressive company and many had been pregnant with no problem. I’m surprised to hear that minority women are more discriminated against, but I do agree that it is probably due to where they’re working. One issue I do have is that if you’re noticeably pregnant, it’s almost impossible for you to get a job. Of course companies never give this as a reason since it’s illegal, but very few pregnant women are able to acquire new employment. I understand that employers see someone going out on maternity leave, etc., but they need to realize that if a woman needs a job badly enough to be hunting while pregnant, then it’s highly unlikely that she won’t come back after the baby.
By No
November 6, 2008 8:04 AM | Link to this
No; no; no; yes; no.
By momtoAlex&Max
November 6, 2008 8:12 AM | Link to this
Not only is pregnancy discrimination blatant and rampant, maternity leave policies in this country are downright shameful. The U.S. has the worst maternity leave policies of any country in the industrialized world.
By Mr. Nice Guy
November 6, 2008 8:35 AM | Link to this
Business exists to make money for its owners and sharholders - not to help encourage you to pop out a kid. If you are a new employess and get knocked up, you’re going to miss a lot of time - I won’t hire you, others won’t either.
Keep it quiet if you’re on a new job and get impregnated.
By Jesse's Girl
November 6, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this
I don’t get this whole keep it quiet notion….they are going to find out! Regardless of when they learn about the pregnancy…they cannot fire you for it. Either way, the employee has a very strong case with HR as to why the termination happened. Of course, this is only in play if you are alreay working at a certain job. If you are on an interview….absolutely keep your mouth shut. There can be a myriad of reasons for not getting hired. You cannot prove that the pregnancy was the deciding factor.
I have never personally known anyone to be discriminated against due to a pregnancy. I am sure it happens…but as someone said above, I think it is solely dependent upon what job you are working. So much of the service industry has high turnover rates….you can and will be replaced.
By CP
November 6, 2008 9:00 AM | Link to this
I’ve never gotten pregnant while I was working but have looked for a job while I was pregnant. I went on 2 interviews with 2 different companies. Both interviews were going along very well (well qualified, enough experience, yada yada…) but then they asked if there was anything that would be coming up in the near future that would require me taking time off of work. I’ve been asked the question before (not pregnant) with other interviews so I thought it was a pretty standard question. But I’ve got this issue with honesty. They’d find out anyway & then if they hired me only to find out later, I’d look like I was the type of person to hide things. It’s a no-win situation. So I told the truth & the interview didn’t last but maybe a minute longer - on both occasions. Maybe it was another issue they had with me or found someone more qualified but I don’t really think so.
By hrlady
November 6, 2008 9:03 AM | Link to this
I just had a “sit down” with our director about my late arrivals and call-ins, but shoot—I’m sick. How does he think he got here? I’m creating a life inside my body! There are other supervisors here who do the same thing. I’m in HR and there are no documented conversations with them in their files, so why am I being targeted now that I’m 6 months preggy? Mostly, you have to prove that you are being treated than “similarly situated employees”. I’m keeping a retainer with agood lawyer very soon, just in case.
By hate to say it
November 6, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
I hate to say it but it is true..employers are not there for you (the employee) but for their business. You get paid for doing a job not for being out. If they see you pregnant, they see you not working through doctors appointments, maternity leave, sick child, etc.. As a hiring manager I need people who will be there more. Sorry but that is just the truth of it.
By It's called marriage
November 6, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this
All of these single baby mamas cranking out kids they can’t afford. Try delaying childbirth until you’ve gotten established economically.
By Forget "marriage"...
November 6, 2008 9:31 AM | Link to this
…but do wait until you can financially afford it!
By nixon710@yahoo.com
November 6, 2008 9:37 AM | Link to this
Well, if the “baby daddy” would step up the the plate and support his baby momma and HIS BABY!!!!!
Always the woman’s fault. Forget the sperm donor who is off impregnanting other women. Nope, certainly NOT his fault. God forbid we actually MAKE a man honor his committment/responsibility.
By Peachy
November 6, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this
I personally have not, but I believe it happens. It’s not that (all) employers are prejudiced against pregnant women, but they do have to think about what is best for their companies; hiring someone for a while who’s fixing to be out for several weeks (or possibly for good) doesn’t make good business sense. Consider the shoe is on the other foot: a man is being considered for a job but informs his potential employer he’ll be out for 2-3 months on medical leave within the next year. Would you hire him, or try to see if you find another equally-suitable candidate first?
I’m actually 8.5 mos preggo now and I have been putting my resume out there a little because I’m trying to find something part-time. I need to work to help support my hubby and (soon-to-be) two kids, but as a hiring manager, I probably wouldn’t hire me right now either. Being part-time will give me the flexibility I need to raise my family and still have gainful employment.
So if anyone knows someone who needs a friendly, bright, computer-savvy person with management experience and 5 yrs exp in the financial industry, post it here! (Of course, I’ll be out for December and January recovering from my impending c-section). Thanks! :o)
By Lynn
November 6, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this
Having worked in a professional position with little back up, I have experienced discrimination, but I worked hard to overcome it. The result was little to no actual maternity leave. Calls within an hour of birth for one delivery and back to it fulltime from home two days after birth for others.
The overriding fear was job loss and how to prove that it was discriminatory while still trying to feed my kids.
My husband worked for two companies that went under just prior to two births. One job loss was two days before birth, the other was a couple of weeks before.
By FCM
November 6, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this
Oh My! I have other question(s): Did the rise in the birth of the ethniticity support the rise in complaints?
If more of a group are having children then obviously they have a greater chance of discrimination complaint.
From my experience there are people (regardless of ethnic background) who use pregnancy or morning sickness as an excuse.
I was sick as a dog with both my children. I also was at work everyday as expected to do my job. Sure I was tired and ill, and cranky (not to mention a witch from hell according to my family)….but I OWED it to my employer to do my work! Eventually, due to pregnancy complications I got doctor instructions about how long I could be on feet, how many hours, etc….My employer worked with me…I modified my habits and still got my work done. Actually my employers were good about making sure I did take breaks, ate right, etc….they wanted a healthy baby to arrive—plus I went back to work after each and got a raise because my work never slipped.
By cofthenight
November 6, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this
No one wants to hire a preggo woman, no one wants to keep you around when you’re on maternity leave or out with a sick child. But… they all want to criticize women who decide to be stay-at-home moms. I don’t get it! I’m thankful I’m able to stay-at-home… trying to work and paying for daycare… there’s not much $ left over to make it worth the hassle.
By Jess
November 6, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this
My boss was supportive but I had a coworker who was not, always looking at my hours, being passive aggressive etc.. But now she is gone and I am still here!
By Mr. Nice Guy
November 6, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this
Something should be done for women because it is unfair. It’s just not right.
By Stacey
November 6, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this
I experienced pregnancy discrimination firsthand. Unfortunately, a lot of people (male and female) don’t understand that not all women nor all pregnancies the same. I had severe hyperemesis with both of my pregnancies to the point that I had to be hospitalized multiple times for dehydration and eventually taken out of work on disability. Still, I can’t count the number of people who told me to “suck it up” and stop using morning sickness as an excuse.
I was put on bedrest with my first pregnancy at 22 week and the company I worked for required me to sign FMLA paperwork stating that I understood that I would be terminated if I did not return to work in twelve weeks. Since I had more than 12 weeks of pregnancy left they immediately hired someone for my position. I only signed the letter because if I resigned or was fired immediately, I would not have been able to draw my short term disability.
Well as it turns out, my baby was born 9 weeks premature so I tried to return before the termination date on the letter only to be told that my position had been filled. When I tried to file a complaint with the EEOC, I was told that although I worked for a large, Fortune 250 company, the individual offices were considered separate business units and I did not qualify for FMLA protection since the office where I worked had less than 50 employees. When I tried to file based on breach of contract, I was told that since Georgia is considered a “Right To Work” state, they did not need a reason to fire me provided my civil rights were not violated. Pregnancy was not covered under the civil rights act. This was 2001 so the law may have changed since then.
By Katie
November 6, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this
I agree with Mr. Nice Guy. Businesses are there to make money, not provide you time away from your job. Also, as a coworker, while women are out on maternity leave, their coworkers have to pick up the slack. When mothers get back from maternity leave, they take even more time off taking their babies to the doctors office. Not fair to the rest of us who are doing their work for them. If you want to spout out babies, do it on your time.
By LM
November 6, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this
When I was pregnant I was working in a small office setting. Two of the three men I worked for were kind and understanding, they both had children. The third gentleman thought it was distastful that I worked. Tried to avoid being around be, I hoped my water broke while riding in the elevator with him. He made lots of snarky comments about me and the baby bulge. I worked up until 5 pm then went to the hospital. He was let go while I was out for my two weeks of vacation which I used for maternity leave, not related to my condition. I always wonder what he would have done or said if he was still there while I was taking breaks to pump.
By Sugar
November 6, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this
Katie Let’s hope you never get pregnant, or worse, get some type of long term illness. I’m sure your co-workers would cry that it’s not fair you aren’t there and they have to pick up YOUR slack. What happens when you take vacation time?
Who told you life was going to be fair? Suck it up and quit worrying about other people.
By My3Kids
November 6, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this
I have also experienced pregnancy discrimination firsthand. When I was pregnant with my youngest, I had just received a promotion. As soon as I let the cat out of the bag that I was pregnant…promotion taken away. Then I was written off for not doing part of my job the correct way. I followed that job to the T…owner was one of those who would watch over your shoulder at all times. I didn’t book air for a client because they never sent the authorization form. So when they sent it…28 hours later (travel prices are only good for 24 hours), the price went up $100.00. I was also written up for not wearing makeup to work anymore. The smell made me sick. I had servere morning sickness with her. So they gave me 7 days to straighten up. I wouldn’t even throw up without their permission at that point. Still couldn’t do the makeup though…7 days later I was fired. One of the managers in my department told me that the owner was behind it because he didn’t want anyone to get pregnant while working for him. He fired another manager in another department after she got pregnant. The owner blamed her for the high turnover. He fired people who did not make their numbers 2 months in the row. She wasn’t even the manager for those states. She was the contract manager. The owner was serverly penalized by the state after she was fired. He had 5 other complaints when I complained. However, I was better off loosing that job anyway. I found my current job after the baby was born and this job is the best.
By Jesse's Girl
November 6, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
Hey y’all…..the new Chief of Staff is pretty hot! And….random thought done.
By Sugar
November 6, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this
Women are usually discriminated against in the work place, as we are the ones who provide the care to the little ones. We are the ones who have the babies, and need maternity leave. You can’t spit a baby out, and be expected to return to work that afternoon.
Men don’t have to worry about balancing career and family.
If we stay home with the kids, we are blasted by the working moms. If we work and put our kids in day care, we get blasted by the stay at home moms. If we take time off for a sick kid, we get blasted by our co-workers.
Solution? Either woman should not work at all out side of the home, or we should just quit having babies. Then we would get blasted for that too.
We cannot please everyone!!!
By TheGlassHammer.
November 6, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this
I don’t understand why people, companies, and corporations have issues with investing in the future of humanity. This is slowly changing as flex-work is becoming more available, and as corporations realize that they can not continue to abuse our earth, or our people.
By Nahnah
November 6, 2008 1:44 PM | Link to this
When I was pregnant with my first child (way back in 1978) I had only been in my job for about 6 months. I went in and told my boss (I was excited). He very sternly reminded me that when they had interviewed me they had specifically asked me if I had any intention of having children anytime soon and that I had said “no”. I was forced to sit there and tell this man that my husband and I had not planned to have a baby this soon, but it did happen. So much for my thoughts of people being excited for me. This “kind” gentleman fired me on the spot. All I could get thereafter were temp jobs. This was before there were ANY laws in place to protect pregnant women. So to all of you who experienced meannness and bad attitudes, count yourself lucky that is all that happened. Just find a way to help make the system better - and by the way, based upon what I went through, it is a ton better already.
By Sugar
November 6, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this
I am very fortunate to work for a “family” oriented company, and there are only 11 of us here.
Anytime I have had to take off time for my kids, someone steps up to the plate and helps out. We all do it. If a co-worker is out sick, we all step up and do what we can. We don’t get p**, we just work TOGETHER as a “team” and help each other out.
We had a co-worker out for two weeks. Not one person complained about having to pick up their slack. We all did it happily for the good of our company. This company has taken very good care of it’s employees, so we give it back 100%.
By Melinda
November 6, 2008 2:19 PM | Link to this
My company is very generous in it’s pregnancy leave policy. What gets me is hearing the pregnant women sit around talking about how to “beat” the company out of additional time by getting their doctors to claim they are not able to return to work (on time) when they are scheduled to. This certainly is an abuse of short term dissability. I guess some people have a warped sense of entitlement….
By New Mom
November 6, 2008 3:08 PM | Link to this
When I was pregnant I had a supervisor tell me that my pregnancy was an inconvenience to her and she needed to make some changes in the office because she would not be inconvenienced. Pregnancy discrimination is alive and rampant regardless of color!
By new mom
November 6, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this
hey—there’s another new mom here today! welcome!
I didn’t experience discrimination myself, but did receive a lot of “funny” comments (well, my boss thought he was funny but really, not) Like ‘so, who’s the father?’ ha ha. and ‘wow you’re looking huge!’ ha ha HA. Great things to hear when your hormones are raging.
And yes, you CANNOT please everyone. When I worked while preggers, I spent some time in the bathroom puking. Thankfully no one was b^*%y enough to complain about that, but I did my job very well, thanks. And now I stay home with our girl, and work harder than I ever did out in the workforce. The other day I was asking my husband what he wanted to do on his day off, while I was folding clothes. He paused for a minute, then said “when you took your current position, did you realize you wouldn’t get a day off?” I told him, yes, that was under ‘other duties ro be assigned later’. :) He’s kinda right, but he does help plenty, and I’m very thankful to be able to stay at home. :)
By Jeff
November 6, 2008 3:55 PM | Link to this
You women get treated w kid gloves when you are pregnant.
And maybe you should do a better job at picking your men.
By Becky
November 6, 2008 4:04 PM | Link to this
Is this the Jeff that has no kids?
By Tracie
November 6, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this
In reference to the notion that “minority women are more discriminated against, but I do agree that it is probably due to where they’re working”. It is untrue and unfair to assume that. My best friend lost a 70k a year job in the IT dept. for a large bank when it became obvious that she was pregnant. Her record was exceptional and she had just accepted a promotion 6 months before, so when they made up some bogus reason for her termination, she also filed suit with the EEOC. The bank ended up settling with her, but I am appalled at all of the mother-hate postings that I am reading. Seems like a lot of self-centeredness from people who don’t realize how hard or how important it is to become a mother. More important than that everyone does not have the luxury of being a stay-at-home mom and that is for whatever reason, but who are you to judge, you don’t know what her situation is, her husband may have lost his job due to this economy or he may have left or died unexpectedly, then what. So stop judging and assuming, you never know what situation you may end up in!
By Davona
November 7, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this
I am a public school teacher and have one child. Throughout my entire pregnancy I had kidney stones. My principal wrote me up for going to the bathroom too much. I was in pain, to say the least. However, the next year he had hemorroids so bad, he required surgery and many, many months of walking carefully and sitting on a donut!
By Lyrazel
November 7, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this
Its very hard to hire someone who is pregnant. Insurance sometimes will not be instated before she is due or for any pre-natal care so many times the needs of the new mother are not covered. That is a sad commentary on today’s insurance—not on pregnant women. Insurance companies don’t like insuring newly employed pregnant women and get away with this type of discrimination by charging higher rates. Higher rates charged to business owners is frequently the reason they are not hired. I have noticed employed women who get pregnant are far more helpful in training their replacements and seeing that the work will be done than men who take sick-leave. They also frequently check-in mainly because the change sometimes makes them miss the camaraderie of adults and because they enjoy the responsibility their job entails. Men seldom call-in voluntarily on sick leave unless in fear of loosing their position and will come back before they are ready which is not productive and prolongs their sick leave.
By nurse&mother
November 7, 2008 8:46 AM | Link to this
I am wondering if some pregnant women go to their employers with the attitude. I hear some women talk as if they expect everyone to bow down to them once they are pregnant.
When I was pregnant, I didn’t get any preferential treatment (nor did I ask, expect or want it). Towards the end of my pregnancy, I was still moving my patients around in the bed (who were numb with an epidural). I was still pushing patients around in stretchers from one end of the hospital to the other. I’m sure I looked quite funny, though.
By nurse&mother
November 7, 2008 9:09 AM | Link to this
I loved being pregnant and my clients are pregnant, but life doesn’t owe you anything. I certainly do not think that pregnant women should be discriminated against, but please don’t go to your employer with the attitude that you must be out all these times because you are sick or have doctors apppointments. Schedule you Dr. appoints around your work schedule. When you have morning sickness, you need to try to get up and go on in to work. I have very little sympathy for those things. I myself, scheduled my visits around my work, so that I seldom had to take off work for the OB.
By new mom
November 10, 2008 7:38 PM | Link to this
I agree that we are shamefully behind other developed nations in how we value working parents, mom’s specifically. Childcare programs in other countries address much of what results in caregiver and pregnancy discrimination. If we were on par with comparable countries we would do away with some, though, not all the unlawful conduct. I am sure my situation would still have occured. I experienced pregnancy discrimination in a civil rights agency by a supervising attorney who knows better. I was one of his star attorney’s until I told him that I could not travel for pregnancy related reasons. His shortsightedness made him lose one of his best attorneys &, post-maternity leave, I am now working elsewhere doing as great a job as always. It was his loss.
By Tiffany
January 19, 2009 5:33 PM | Link to this
I agree that woman are discriminated against while pregnant. I recently told my boss I was pregnant. Since that time, all biweekly meetings with my boss have been cancelled; I have been “yelled” at for doing things I was asked to do by my boss but changed her mind when I did them; other people seem to be doing “my work” now so it seems as though I am being “replaced” How do I find out if I am really being discriminated against or is this a coincidence?
By Tiffany
January 19, 2009 5:33 PM | Link to this
I agree that woman are discriminated against while pregnant. I recently told my boss I was pregnant. Since that time, all biweekly meetings with my boss have been cancelled; I have been “yelled” at for doing things I was asked to do by my boss but changed her mind when I did them; other people seem to be doing “my work” now so it seems as though I am being “replaced” How do I find out if I am really being discriminated against or is this a coincidence?
By Dave Smith
January 23, 2009 8:29 AM | Link to this
I’m writing for help…(IN A NUTSHELL)My wife is due to return to work in March 2009 as HR manager in a leading Australian University.She has requested to come back part time(3 days a week) and has proposed,job sharing and several other solutions in order to cover the 2 days she cant be there. Her Manager has flatly refused, stating that it is a full-time position and not a part time one and isn’t open for any alternate arrangements. Her Manager then said that she can keep her position and job title but will have to work at another campus doing project work.Her manager has then gone ahead and appointed a new H.R manager for that postion before my wife has been given the opportunity to speak with the project manager and accept the the new job.The first she knew about it was when her team contacted her about the situation. The manager also publicly announced to my wife’s team(6 people) that she would not be returning to her position and that a new person would be filling her position.My wife is so stressed about the situation that she has almost thrown up. I have asked her to seek legal advice on the matter and to take it from there. She has not yet lodged any discrimination forms.I’m wondering what we are to do as this manager of hers sounds like a real bully and I dont want her to gloss over this in the next few weeks. My wife is extemely intelligent, educated and is a good person but things like this make her feel ill..She is also the better speller/Grammar etc than myself which you may have gathered by now..any help would be much appreciated………concerned husband,Dave.
By Dave Smith
January 23, 2009 8:43 AM | Link to this
I’m writing for help…(IN A NUTSHELL)My wife is due to return from pregnancy leave in March 2009 as HR manager in a leading Australian University.She has requested to come back part time(3 days a week) and has proposed,job sharing and several other solutions in order to cover the 2 days she cant be there. Her Manager has flatly refused, stating that it is a full-time position and not a part time one and isn’t open for any alternate arrangements. Her Manager then said that she can keep her position and job title but will have to work at another campus doing project work.Her manager has then gone ahead and appointed a new H.R manager for that postion before my wife has been given the opportunity to speak with the project manager and accept the the new job.The first she knew about it was when her team contacted her about the situation. The manager also publicly announced to my wife’s team(6 people) that she would not be returning to her position and that a new person would be filling her position.My wife is so stressed about the situation that she has almost thrown up. I have asked her to seek legal advice on the matter and to take it from there. She has not yet lodged any discrimination forms.I’m wondering what we are to do as this manager of hers sounds like a real bully and I dont want her to gloss over this in the next few weeks. My wife is extemely intelligent, educated and is a good person but things like this make her feel ill..She is also the better speller/Grammar etc than myself which you may have gathered by now..any help would be much appreciated………concerned husband,Dave.