Manager Who Got Pregnant While Still On Maternity Leave Awarded Five Figure Sum For Sex Discrimination
Manager Who Got Pregnant While Still On Maternity Leave Awarded Five Figure Sum For Sex Discrimination after she was made redundant when she got pregnant again while still on maternity leave.
Jacky Scott, an office manager for timber merchant Cox Long Limited, was due to return to work from 12 months maternity leave on 1 November 2009. In September2009 she notified them in writing of the second pregnancy and that her intention was to return as planned on 1 November and start the second period of maternity leave from March 2010.
Just 2 weeks later she was told that her position was potentially redundant and she was dismissed on 2 November 2009.
The employment tribunal heard that a line manager, Nigel Simpson, told a colleague that he would rather make a member of staff redundant than give her maternity leave and noted that only one other employee was made redundant in that year.
The employment tribunal panel recorded: ‘We conclude that Mrs Scott’s dismissal for redundancy was prompted by her notification in late September 2009 that she was pregnant and would be taking a further year’s maternity leave.
‘The firm unlawfully discriminated against Mrs Scott on the ground of her sex.’
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