Firm must pay €17k to woman sacked after miscarriage

A COMPANY that sacked a woman who failed to attend for work after suffering a miscarriage has been ordered to pay her €17,000.

Mayo firm Western Brand Group Ltd, a chicken processing plant, told Aneta Petrova she had been ‘sick for too long’ when dismissing her on December 29, 2015 – 12 days after she was diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy.

At the Labour Court, the company pleaded that it hadn’t realised Ms Petrova, 37, was pregnant or had suffered a miscarriage at the time of her dismissal.

On December 16, 2015, Ms Petrova was taken to hospital by ambulance after fainting at her home. The following day she was diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy, where a pregnancy develops outside the womb.

She suffered a miscarriage, and on December 21, a medical certificate was delivered to her employer confirming what had occurred.

Ms Petrova said she was contacted by phone on December 29, and that an employee told her she had been ‘sick for too long’, that she was suspended and that her P45 would be sent to her.

The Western Brand Group was appealing an earlier Workplace Relations Commission ruling which awarded Ms Petrova €12,000 for unfair dismissal.

The Labour Court upheld that decision and increased the level of compensation to €17,000.