Settlement figure for maternity discrimination?

[GoldieLocks09]

I’m due to take part in a ‘without prejudice’ meeting with my employer in the coming days. Ultimately my position at the company is no longer there and they have not followed recent maternity laws as they:

1. have offered me a job that is not suitable at all (lower level, much less senior)
2. told me I can apply for a more senior position (but backhandedly told me I wouldn’t get it)
3. made the decision 9 months ago when I first went off and have only just told me

and there’s a few other things but I don’t want to be too outing..

I think both myself and the company know the outcome and that there will be a settlement. My question is how much should I push for?

I earn approx £120k OTE (bonus & basic salary), have already lined up childcare and paid a 6 month deposit, missed out on my annual bonus last year because they didn’t pay me it as I was on maternity leave, been there 6.5yrs and have a 3 month notice period. AIBU to go for a full years salary plus bonus and my notice period?

Can anyone share examples of what they’ve received as a settlement (or a friend of a friend, etc?) or how I’d go about calculating it. I’m aware I could get more taking them to a tribunal but for ease & the ability to get passed this awful period I’d rather just settle but for as much as I can?

Hi @GoldieLocks09 I hope you are ok. I am going through something similar and just wondered if things worked out for you in the end? Did you get the settlement you deserve?

@Daydreamer94 hi! Sorry you’re going through a rough time - yes, everything worked out well in the end. The best advice I got was ‘get a solicitor’. My ex HR team gaslit me hugely, as soon as I got a solicitor they backed down immediately and pushed for a settlement. It’s been almost a year and I can safely say that I’m completely over what happened, the money has been enjoyed (and I got to take a bit more time off with my baby!), I found a new job almost instantly for more money than I was on and have done really well there and my old company recently announced redundancies due to bad performance… sucks to be them! If you have any questions feel free to message me xx

OP you'd be surprised how quickly a good lawyer can get up to speed. If you're thinking you'll get a 6 figure settlement it's more than worth investing a grand or two before you finalise anything. If you went to Tribunal you might be entitled to claim not only loss of earnings (salary, bonus, pension contrib) but also an "injury to feeling" award to reflect being discriminated against, if that could be proven.

Also the employer might agree to pay legal fees as part of your settlement!

Oh lol I responded without reading to the end 🤦‍♀️. Brilliant news OP. All the best for the future!

I’d add in bonus for 2025 foregone. Or at least 50% of, as we are already in June.

Pension contributions too,

assume it will take three months to secure a new role - so you could argue 75% of this year plus bonus if 100% seems unachievable.

Opportunity to progress from your previous, higher role had also been removed from you.

My point being, dont start with ‘at the very least, I’m owed ABC.’ You will experience the opportunity-lost cost for this full year too, so be sure to factor that in. You could add that up quite easily yourself.

Cross post with your 00:39 reply 👏🏼

Take someone with you to the wp meeting. You will get the offer there and then I suspect with a compromise agreement (which you have to receive independent advice on). They will pay a minimal amount for you to get legal advice on the compromise agreement.

Just realised this was a zombie thread. Well done op.