It's 2025 And Things Are Getting Worse, Not Better, For Mums At Work

I have been an employment lawyer for nearly 20 years, and the stories I could tell you would make your jaw drop to the floor. As we become more progressive as a country, people tend to think that horror stories like being mistreated for becoming a parent are in the past – but the reality is that things are getting worse, not better.Now, 74,000 mothers a year are kicked out of work for getting pregnant and having kids. After having my first baby in 2010, I came to realise that there was a real issue in the way pregnant women, those on maternity leave and returning mothers were being treated. I often sat in baby groups and overheard conversations about individuals not being paid accrued holiday pay or bonuses, and being excluded from Christmas parties and team events, simply because they had taken time off to have a baby.After having my second child in 2012, the problem had gotten much worse, and I was quite often changing from mum-mode to solicitor-mode in groups of parents to offer advice on various issues where women had been forced back into work early, had been asked to do work during their leave or had been sidelined or pushed out. I saw it everywhere. After I returned to work myself, I decided that I needed to be part of the change. I wanted to help mums stop being overlooked and mistreated for having kids. I started holding drop-in clinics in Sure Start Centres. I would hold my session alongside the weaning class; I was there in case people needed advice on work issues that had cropped up. One of my first cases involved acting for a mother who returned to work as planned after her maternity leave, only to find that her access pass had been cancelled, leaving her unable to enter the building.Once in the office, she found that her belongings had been packed away into a cardboard box. There was no desk for her to work from – the box stood where her desk had been before. No-one came to speak to her to welcome her back to work and she found that her responsibilities had been passed over or given to other employees whilst she had been away. This had not been communicated to her. It was unbelievable. I volunteered for Working Families and also met Joeli Brearley, who had started (the now very successful organisation) Pregnant Then Screwed. Back then, Pregnant Then Screwed was simply a website for women to share their stories of discrimination at work. Joeli had always wanted to set up an advice line, and so I offered my help, and together we launched one. At first, I would call one or two women each evening, usually when I had put my own boys to bed, or while I was in bed myself or doing my ironing. As Joeli and I would say, it was “just a bunch of women sharing their skills and their love to support one another”. It really was a labour of love for us all.Over the last decade, I have defended hundreds of mothers. No two cases are ever the same and they range from helping individuals to get the pay they are owed as a result of not being paid bonuses, holiday entitlement or not being considered for pay rises at the same time as others; to horrendous cases, where women are having to be sick in office bins as they are told not to leave their desks when suffering from severe pregnancy-related sickness.Just when I think I have heard it all, a new case with new shocking mistreatment comes up. One that sticks in my mind is a lady who, unfortunately, suffered a miscarriage at work. She worked in a call centre and was told she could not leave her desk. In the end, a colleague had to ring an ambulance for her.She was taken to the hospital and was immediately admitted. She could not go to work the following day as a result and was sent a letter stating that her absence had not been authorised. She was invited to a meeting to discuss this and was then sacked.I have set up Pregnant and Protected to provide free expert advice for pregnant women, parents or expectant parents who are facing work-related issues to do with pregnancy, maternity, and childcare.This should assist parents in understanding their rights and what they can ask for, and how they can take action if their employer isn’t following the rules. It’s also available for employers to get in touch and make sure that they are supporting their staff, upholding rights and following all necessary legal procedures. Discrimination isn’t going away, but we will continue to arm as many people as possible with the tools that they need to fight back, and to work with companies to stamp out bad practice.My dream is that one day my services will no longer be needed, but until then, if you are being mistreated, sidelined, or fired just for having kids, reach out – and we will help you to fight back. Danielle Ayers is founder of Pregnant And Protected.Related...5 Signs You're 'Quiet Cracking' At Work Without Realising ItI Stayed At Work While Miscarrying. What I Learned After Shocked Me.I Said One Little Word At Work – And Got Fired

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