Job offered then withdrawn after I notified them I was pregnant

[Tabbycatrem]

Hi all, I just wondered if anyone could help understand whether this was or wasn't discriminatory
I was contacted by an agancy with a temp to permanent job with a company that deals with pharmacuetical trials. The job was in a lab but didnt require handling any chemicals and the person interviewing me explained they wore lab coats only as a precaution and there was very little that was harmful in the lab. After the interview I was offered the job to start 10 days later. After a week of filling out the forms for the agency on the friday before i was due to start on tuesday I informed the agent I was pregnant purely because i thought it would be easier for everyone to know earlier and my understanding was that once offered a job it can't be taken away because youre pregnant. After saying she'd talk to the company and get back to me I then didnt hear anything until monday when I was told they were carrying out a risk assessment and would get back to me on tuesday. Wednesday evening I was finally told that I was too much of a risk and so the agency wouldnt be taking me. Could this be considered discrimination? I definitely feel discriminated against! My understanding was that after a risk assessment is carried the company was to make adjustments for the employee but maybe its different when its through an agency? Either way im quite sure the agency just didnt want any risk to them, but do I have any rights in this situation?

How awful. Are you able to ask for a copy of this risk assessment? And ask whether adjustments could have been made? I'm not sure about the legality but I suppose you had some sort of verbal contract with them, but not sure if it would be legally binding. Saying that I have also heard that employers are able to withdraw an offer before you sign a contract, they could maybe say that the role no longer exists or some crap like that. If you really want to work there, I would contact CAB and maybe post this in the employment section too. Sorry OP and good luck.

Yes, that does sound like discrimination because the only reason you haven't been offered the job is your pregnancy, section 18 of equality act. Contact the Equality Advisory and Support service to see if they can give you some advice. Number 08088000082

Good luck! And sorry you had to go through this.

I'd suggest contacting ACAS (www.acas.org.uk) as they have advisers that you can talk to, and they'd be able to advise you on if that was legally ok to do or not etc. They will also get involved if it's not and you wanted to take it further. I used them when I was a HR Manager and as an employee, and found them very helpful.

Thanks so much everyone thats youve all provided great advice, especially since getting the news I havent known where I stand! I've emailed asking for a copy of the risk assessment and I'll definitely be contacting those numbers :)

Do you have anything in writing regarding the job offer?
Any emails talking about bringing in documents or filling out forms like providing bank account details for payroll?
Might help you in proving they offered you the job incase they start to dispute they ever did.

Yes emlewis93, i have the job offer on an email aswell as an email the day formally telling them I was pregnant after a phone call, im hoping all of that will be in my favour