Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination

Along with sex, age, race, religion and belief, disability, gender reassignment, sexual orientation and marital status, pregnancy and maternity are the “protected characteristics” detailed in the Equality Act 2010.

This means that it’s illegal for an employee to be treated unfavourably because they are pregnant or have taken a period of maternity leave.

Examples of pregnancy and maternity discrimination may include being overlooked for a promotion or being selected for redundancy because you have been on maternity leave.

If you have been treated less favourably because you are pregnant, because of a pregnancy-related illness, or because you have taken maternity leave or have asked to take maternity leave, then you may be entitled to bring a claim in the Employment Tribunal for discrimination.

Our employment team  are specialists in dealing with pregnancy and maternity discrimination matters and are ready to assist you with your case, offering advice in clear, straightforward language.

This ensures you grasp your current circumstances and the subsequent steps to take. Our skilled solicitors are equipped to:

• Negotiate with your employer to promote a settlement or exit package
• Assist and navigate you through a settlement agreement with your employer, where appropriate, aiming to avoid the complexities of Employment Tribunal proceedings.
• Prepare necessary legal documentation should your case proceed to an Employment Tribunal.
• Advocate on your behalf in the Employment Tribunal, where appropriate.

Our specialist team of Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination solicitors is described in the independent Legal 500 directory as “excellent” and are highly recommended in the Legal 500. Therefore, you can be reassured that you will deal with some of the best employment solicitors in the country.

Our Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination lawyers can be strident and robust on your behalf, where appropriate, including when dealing with the largest of employers or professional organisations on behalf of our senior executive clients but also easy to deal with and clear in our advice. 

We will fight your corner, and we always take into account the sensitivity of a situation and your professional and personal circumstances.

In particular, our employment lawyers offer:

• City centre standards of employment law advice and service levels due to our policy of recruiting only the best specialist employment solicitors from leading firms.
• Clear and straightforward UK employment law advice that is user-friendly, pragmatic and commercial.
• Extensive experience in advising various employees, including senior executives, directors and partners with complex employment concerns.
• A credible team of employment law solicitors that are used to dealing with and providing representation against large employers and law firms on behalf of our clients.
• A partner-led service and a genuinely accessible team of experienced employment law solicitors due to our size, structure and unique culture.
• Cost-effective support tailored to your unique employment issues and certainty on costs where you need it.