Pregnancy discrimination

[Sunflower91]

If you’re ever feeling anxious about what they can do, ACAS have a helpline you can call. I’ve called them a lot over the years around what companies can and can’t do. It’s how I found out employers can’t hand you a piece of paper and say “you have a to decide if you resign now, sign here”

 

[Savewaterdrinkgin]

Thank you, I’m struggling to get in touch with the doctor at all and I need to give in the sick note today ideally. I won’t be entitled to SMP as the SSP isn’t high enough to qualify so I would need to claim maternity allowance instead. If they were to sack me would it not stand in a discrimination claim at all? I won’t be going back so I’m not particularly fussed, I just don’t want to be in a bad position financially because they decide to be spiteful.

 

[littlepup]

Thank you both, so even if it doesn’t mention pregnancy I’m still protected? I thought they would have happily change it but it doesn’t seem like they plan to! I’m beyond caring about the job now anyway I just don’t want to be sacked and seen as technically unemployed, plus the faff of court. Why is nothing ever simple for me!

If they have no grounds for dismissal. Particularly if you can prove you’ve told them/they know you’re pregnant, text or email would help. Maybe email a copy of the note and say it’s pregnancy related yourself so you can prove they know if you don’t already have it in writing somewhere.
It’d be unfair dismissal to sack someone for being sick for any reason so if you could link dismissal to being signed off for sickness in a form it’s still wrong.

 

[overgrammers]

That’s a good idea, I’ll be doing the same. No job is worth the stress especially with a baby to care for. How much longer do you have there before mat leave?

I’ve finished up now thank god

 

[littlepup]

Thank you, I’m waiting for someone to call me back tomorrow to discuss so hopefully I’ll have a better idea of where I stand legally. Another 17 weeks of this nonsense then I’ll be free.

How did you get on? I hope someone was able to help.

 

[Begborrowsteal]

Worth bearing in mind that they can start your maternity leave earlier if youre absence is pregnancy related- in case youre managing funds to a planned date

 

[overgrammers]

It does get you down so I do sympathise. Will you definitely be returning after leave? I never understand why people are this spiteful considering it’s common knowledge to be discriminatory and illegal to treat a pregnant woman any different from another. I’m a strong believer in karma x

Because they get away with it. Probably wont go back. I have no interest in this juvenile carry on and know nothing will be done by management because the person thinks they’re being clever and because they don’t scream and shout at me that it’s not bullying, it’s happened with other people and they say they cant do anything if they don’t witness the behaviour. There’s no job worth that much to me so I’ll look for something else.

 

[Tifastrife]

I have a friend going through similar with flexible working requests. Firstly, if you can help it don’t resign yourself, from guidance it sounds like it’s more beneficial to wait until they dismiss you. If you look on the ACAS website there are some very specific reasons as to why they can deny flexible working request. If they deny your request make sure it’s on the grounds of one of those reasons. If it’s not then ask for an appeal- they don’t have to give you one but they look better if they do. If the appeal is denied you need to raise a formal grievance but in the meantime get some legal advice just incase. There are no win no fee solicitors that can tell you if you’d have a case if you were being pushed out due to discrimination. A solicitor can’t start legal proceedings until your formally dismissed. In the case of my friend she’s currently working on the severance package they’ve offered her- legal advice was to not accept the first offer but in her case she has a claim for discrimination. There’s also a lot of red tape about what people can and cannot say. If you can get everything in writing or any kind of proof it helps. My friend was told things like “your best option is to resign” etc which isn’t legal.
It’s really disgusting that this kind of behaviour is so common.

Thanks so much! I will keep a record of everything for now and see what happens when I put in my request later in the year. It seems to be a lot more common than you’d expect in this day and age unfortunately!

 

[Savewaterdrinkgin]

It does get you down so I do sympathise. Will you definitely be returning after leave? I never understand why people are this spiteful considering it’s common knowledge to be discriminatory and illegal to treat a pregnant woman any different from another. I’m a strong believer in karma x

 

[Savewaterdrinkgin]

Thank you I’ll get onto them if work give me any trouble over the sick note

 

[Savewaterdrinkgin]

My manager knows I’m very clued up so maybe she was threatened by that I had to point out in my contract certain things she denied and reminded her it’s discrimination to refuse certain requests. I’m obviously too ‘difficult’ and make her job harder by expecting my legal rights. I’d honestly love to name and shame each one of them and the company but as it’s so small it’ll be easy to work out who I am. If it was the likes of sainsburys or wherever I’d go to the papers

 

[overgrammers]

Do… do you work in my workplace? sounds like the same kind of environment. Tbh I’m tempted not to go back and look for something else but have to go back for a minimum period Of time or I have to pay back some of my “enhanced” maternity pay.

God, glad I’m not tied into going back to my place