Pregnancy discrimination

A survey by the TUC has found that a quarter of pregnant women have faced discrimination at work during the Covid-19 crisis.

The poll of more than 3,400 women who were pregnant or on maternity leave during the pandemic found that 25% had experienced discrimination of some kind, including being singled out for redundancy — which is illegal.

The TUC is calling on the government to enforce existing discrimination legislation through spot checks and penalties. And it wants new laws to protect health and safety for new and expectant mothers.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “If it’s not safe for women to keep working, employers must suspend them on full pay. Employers must stop illegally selecting pregnant women and new mums for redundancy. And bosses who break the law should be fined.”

https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/employers-are-breaking-law-and-forcing-pregnant-women-out-work-during-pandemic-warns-tuc