An internship company has had to pay £25,000 to settle a tribunal case after an employee alleged sex discrimination relating to her pregnancy.

An employee claimed she was left “isolated and sidelined” by her employers after she told them she was expecting. During her maternity leave, the employee asked to work the same hours in a different pattern, to help meet childcare commitments.

Instead the company reduced her hours and when she returned to work, she was told her position was at risk of redundancy because the firm had managed without the role in her absence.  The business was accused of failing to properly consult with the employee, of failing to offer alternatives to redundancy and it was found that, despite the business stating that the process was fair, the only reason the woman was declared redundant was because she went on maternity leave.  £25,000 later, they may now wish they had taken proper advice to assist this employee to return to work following her maternity leave!

According to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, one in nine mothers of 3,000 interviewed have said they were let go from their jobs, or treated badly, as a result of pregnancy.