A quarter of pregnant women have faced workplace discrimination during the pandemic, study suggests

One in four pregnant women has faced discrimination at work during the coronavirus crisis, a new study suggests
A quarter of pregnant women have faced workplace discrimination during the pandemicA quarter of pregnant women have faced workplace discrimination during the pandemic
A quarter of pregnant women have faced workplace discrimination during the pandemic

A survey of 3,400 women who have been pregnant or on maternity leave during the pandemic found that a quarter said they had experienced unfair treatment at work, including being singled out for redundancy or furlough.

The TUC said its poll indicated that low-paid pregnant women were more likely than women on higher salaries (17%) to have been forced to lose pay and stop work.

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Pregnant women told the TUC they had to take sick leave when they were not sick, to take unpaid leave, start their maternity leave early or to leave the workplace, because their employer did not act to make their workplace safe for them.

All of these actions are illegal, said the union organisation, pointing out that pregnant women have the right to be suspended on full pay if workplace risks to their health cannot be removed or reduced, or suitable alternative work is not available.

Employers are already required to undertake a Covid-19 risk assessment, which should take account of additional risks to anyone who is pregnant or a new mother.

The TUC called on the Government to change the law to make employers undertake individual written risk assessments when they are told that a female employee is pregnant, has given birth in the past six months or is breastfeeding.

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TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Work should be safe for pregnant women and new mums, but our research has uncovered shocking levels of pregnancy and maternity discrimination during the coronavirus outbreak.

"Employers are routinely flouting health and safety law. This puts women's lives, and the health of their unborn babies, at risk.

"Ministers must require every employer to do an individual risk assessment for every pregnant woman and new mum. If it's not safe for women to keep working, employers must suspend them on full pay.

"Employers must stop illegally selecting pregnant women and new mums for redundancy, and bosses who break the law should be fined."