Employee Health and Wellbeing Tribunal in Focus: Pregnant Worker Wins £350k After ‘Hormonal’ Stereotype
In September, a pregnant employee won £350,000 in compensation following a tribunal for pregnancy discrimination after her boss, at an outsourcing company, labelled her “emotional” and “hormonal” in response to her concerns about workload and panic attacks. Her requests for support were ignored and risk assessments were not carried out either during her pregnancy or on her return to work following maternity leave.
The tribunal judge ruled this treatment was “dismissive and belittling” and that her employer’s actions damaged trust, and contributed to her resignation. Representing herself in the case, the employee’s win was hailed as highlighting the systemic issue of pregnancy discrimination. Research shows over 54,000 UK women feel pressured to quit jobs annually due to pregnancy-related mistreatment.
Your take home: This case highlights the legal and financial risks of pregnancy discrimination for SME employers, emphasising the importance of undertaking risk assessments, fair treatment including responding to a pregnant employee’s concerns, workplace support, and compliance with equality laws to avoid costly tribunals.
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