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Original poster

Dismissed while pregnant

33 replies

Mpolyakova · 01/10/2020 01:03

Ladies,

I was dismissed without warning yesterday on the grounds of poor performance just weeks before 2-year anniversary with the employer.
No discussions took place in advance. I mentioned that I'm very early in my pregnancy but was told it would not be taken into consideration.

I was also told I had no right to appeal.
This is so stressful and it looks like I cannot do anything about it.

Anyone has any experience in raising objections against employer in such circumstances?

OP posts:
PopsicleHustler · 01/10/2020 04:47

Wait.....

There's a charity called pregnant and screwed??????!!!!!

DidoLamenting · 01/10/2020 04:41

@WeNo

This is definitely unfair dismissal. If it's around 'poor performance' they have to prove they gave you a warning, helped you to improve and document the process.

I'm guessing this is a small company with a small or no HR team? I know companies can't make you redundant if you're on maternity leave (unless the whole company goes under) and I think the same applies for pregnant women, but I'm not sure about dismissal.

At a previous company I worked for, we struggled to get rid of someone who was defrauding the company and following protocol took months so your employer must be lying if they think it's that easy to let you go!

Sorry, I'm not sure where to get advice but pp has suggested a charity and there's always citizens advice bureau. If you have grounds for unfair dismissal then you should get a pay out. Good luck x

This advice is not correct if an employee has less than 2 years employment. If the poster told her employer she was pregnant and they then dismissed her it would be an unfair dismissal but not if she only told them afterwards.
JM10 · 01/10/2020 02:03

Did you tell them you were pregnant before or after? I don't know if this makes a difference, but presumably if they didn't know then they aren't getting rid of you because if the pregnancy.

WeNo · 01/10/2020 01:55

This is definitely unfair dismissal. If it's around 'poor performance' they have to prove they gave you a warning, helped you to improve and document the process.

I'm guessing this is a small company with a small or no HR team? I know companies can't make you redundant if you're on maternity leave (unless the whole company goes under) and I think the same applies for pregnant women, but I'm not sure about dismissal.

At a previous company I worked for, we struggled to get rid of someone who was defrauding the company and following protocol took months so your employer must be lying if they think it's that easy to let you go!

Sorry, I'm not sure where to get advice but pp has suggested a charity and there's always citizens advice bureau. If you have grounds for unfair dismissal then you should get a pay out. Good luck x

cabbageking · 01/10/2020 01:51

Sorry Did you have. Not the gobbledygook I typed

cabbageking · 01/10/2020 01:50

You can appeal if it is pregnancy discrimination regardless.
Do you will have had some other feedback along the way about poor performance, support being offered, targets and time frame, warnings or disciplinaries or it did come out of the blue?

luceloop · 01/10/2020 01:44

Did you actually do anything wrong for them to say you poorly performed?

60sPony · 01/10/2020 01:38

Check out the charity pregnant then screwed - they should be able to offer advice