Discrimination forcing mums to quit their jobs

PREGNANT women and new mothers need more protection at work after a “shocking” increase in discrimination, a parliamentary report has said.

The number of new and expectant mothers forced to leave their job or suffering discrimination has doubled in 10 years to 54,000.

The Commons Women and Equalities Committee called for a German-style ban on employers making them redundant, except in exceptional circumstances.

MPs also said the £1,200 fee for taking a pregnancy-related discrimination case to an employment tribunal should be slashed while casual, agency and zerohours workers should also get paid time off to attend antenatal appointments.

Eleven per cent of pregnant women and new mothers said they had been dismissed, singled out for redundancy or forced out of their job by poor treatment, according to a Government study.

The cross-party committee said the Government’s approach had so far lacked “urgency and bite” and urged ministers to publish an “ambitious, detailed plan” within the next two years to improve the working rights of pregnant women and new mothers.

Committee chairwoman Maria Miller said: “The arrival of a new baby puts family finances under extreme pressure.

“Yet, despite this, thousands of expectant and new mothers have no choice but to leave their work because of concerns about the safety of their child or pregnancy discrimination.

“There are now record numbers of women in work in the UK.

“The economy will suffer unless employers modernise their workplace practices.”