Boss sacks woman for getting pregnant during maternity leave: 'Until you have your routine back'

A woman in the UK has been awarded £28,000 by an employment tribunal after being dismissed from her job shortly after returning from maternity leave and revealing she was pregnant again. Nikita Twitchen, formerly an admin assistant at First Grade Projects in Pontypridd, launched a claim for unfair dismissal, asserting that her pregnancy was the reason behind her termination, as reported by Metro.

(Also read: Chinese worker tries to poison pregnant co-worker to avoid her extra workload)

Return to work

Twitchen’s ordeal began during a back-to-work meeting with Managing Director Jeremy Morgan in early 2022. During this meeting, she disclosed her new pregnancy, which she claims left her boss visibly taken aback. Initially, the meeting appeared to be encouraging, with Morgan expressing enthusiasm for her return. However, Twitchen testified that the atmosphere changed drastically following her announcement, leading her to suspect that her dismissal was directly linked to her pregnancy.

Upon returning from maternity leave in March 2022, Twitchen noted that her employer failed to contact her regarding her return. Concerned, she emailed Morgan on April 4 about her holiday entitlement, but received no response—a deviation from the norm. After following up on April 11 and 18, she received a phone call from Morgan later that day, where he informed her of her redundancy, citing financial difficulties and payment delays as the reasons for her termination.

Tribunal findings

Morgan later claimed that the installation of new software rendered Twitchen's role "no longer existent." However, the tribunal found in her favour, deeming First Grade Projects liable for unfair dismissal. Judge Robin Havard highlighted inconsistencies in Morgan’s reasoning for the redundancy. In their February meeting, he had stated that the business was performing well and had not mentioned any financial issues or the software that allegedly justified the dismissal.

The tribunal expressed concern over First Grade's inability to provide evidence of the claimed financial difficulties or the new software during the hearing. Furthermore, Twitchen had not received any written statement detailing the reasons for her dismissal.

(Also read: Heartstopping moment: Man struggles to keep his balance as he carries pregnant woman accross raging stream)

Impact of the decision

Judge Havard concluded that Twitchen was dismissed due to her pregnancy, describing the action as "unfair, discriminatory, and causing significant emotional distress." He emphasised the profound impact her dismissal had on her, particularly in light of her family responsibilities and financial stability.

In response to the tribunal’s ruling, First Grade Projects stated they were "extremely disappointed" and were reviewing the situation, considering their options for appeal. They declined to comment further at this time.

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