Punished For Taking Maternity Leave
Punished For Taking Maternity Leave
It is widely accepted today that Maternity Leave is a legal right which benefits health and family life….or is it?
It’s hard for most of us to imagine that, as an employer, we would literally punish a female member of staff for taking maternity leave, yet this is not, it seems, a universal fact.
Recently an employment tribunal ruled that a human resources executive had been demoted, from a managerial role to housekeeping duties on her return from maternity leave, to punish her for taking the leave.
Sabbah Messum was degraded and humiliated by managers where she worked in Leeds and forced to clean lavatories.
The hearing was told that Gul Nawaz Akbar, one of Sabbah’s managers, tried to force her to resign after she returned from having her baby by shouting at her and ordering her to do physically demanding work.
While Sabbah was on leave, her bosses also falsely accused her of stealing food.
Messum, who has a master’s degree from Islamabad University in Pakistan, worked at Bradford Management Services in Leeds in 2016 before resigning in 2021.
Judge Sarah-Jane Davies said: “The allegation of theft and demoting her to do general clerical work and housekeeping, including toilet cleaning, were to degrade and humiliate her.”
Sabbah is in line for compensation after Judge Davies ruled that she was the victim of a discriminatory regime that intentionally penalised pregnant workers by creating a hostile and intimidating environment for them.
Sabbah succeeded in her claims of pregnancy discrimination, harassment and unfair dismissal. The tribunal will determine the compensation to be paid by her employers at a later hearing.
The Graham Agency, keeping you informed.