Storm Botha was employed at White Lake Cheese earning £11 per hour. She revealed her pregnancy to her employer in 2021 and was called into an “ambush” meeting with her manager.
She explained her work was criticised and she was demoted to a lower paid role at £9.50 per hour despite raising concerns about working in the cheese room while pregnant.
She was required to lift, wash and turn heavy cheeses in a refrigerated environment. She unfortunately then suffered a miscarriage due to panic attacks and job security concerns and was later made redundant.
Tribunal Judgment
The Judge found that Ms Botha suffered pregnancy discrimination and ruled in her favour. The redundancy was found to be a sham and ordered the employer to pay her £19,694.42 in compensation.
The tribunal also rejected her manager’s claim that he was unaware of her pregnancy and noted that they found it significant that redundancy consultations were initiated while she was still signed off work following her miscarriage.
Commentary
The case shows the importance of protecting pregnant employees’ rights. The employee’s demotion, placement into a physically demanding position and the initiation of a consultation period while she was signed off sick all demonstrate a concerning negligence on the employer’s behalf.
There are serious consequences of pregnancy discrimination, and the judgment clearly highlights the importance of dealing with each employee fairly and lawfully.
Call a specialist employment lawyer
Magara Law is an employment law firm with offices in Bicester, Banbury, Reading, and Paddington, London, and serves clients nationwide.
For more information or to contact our employment law team at Magara Law, call 01869 325 883 or email roy@magaralaw.co.uk.