Firing worker on maternity leave is discrimination
A mum who was fired while on maternity leave has been awarded £40,000 in damages after a court ruled her employer had treated her unfairly because of her pregnancy, The Mirror reports.
Anastassia Rodin, who worked for Dhillons Management Services as an HR trainer, was told to go to a Jobcentre for money, after she was dismissed without warning. She took her case to an Employment Tribunal in 2017.
The Tribunal heard how Ms Rodin began maternity leave in June 2017, just before the firm ceased work and its contracts were taken over by DMS1 Limited. She was told she would receive only two months of maternity pay.
"Gurjeet Dhillon, Managing Director of Dhillons Management Services, said I could work for the new company but I would lose my maternity pay and my benefits," Ms Robin told the Employment Tribunal.
She turned down the offer as she no longer trusted the company. She sued both firms for unfair dismissal plus pregnancy and maternity discrimination.
The panel ruled she was fired as she was on maternity leave and awarded her £41,191. A further £12,500 was given for injury to feelings caused by Ms Sandhu's comments.
The panel said:
"Mrs Rodin had no job during her maternity leave and this had a detrimental and adverse impact upon her health and wellbeing and this adversely impacted her ability to feed her child, which caused additional distress. That distress was worsened by Dhillons Management Services failing to contact Mrs Rodin or to provide her with any means to access the rest of her maternity pay."
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