“Our Line Manager has made discriminatory comments to a pregnant employee?”
“Our Line Manager, Rosemary, has made discriminatory comments about a pregnant member of staff, Thyme. Her comments include stating that Thyme “has baby on the brain” and has a “poor attitude”. Thyme has complained to the HR Director and is demanding action. What can we do and what could we be facing?”
Thankfully, the above scenario is hypothetical and not a client email. However, some managers do fall into the trap of making discriminatory comments against pregnant staff members and, in doing so, place their employers at risk.
As most employers are aware, pregnant workers obtain advanced protection from detriment under employment law. Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t entirely prevent genuine concerns about an employee’s conduct and/or performance being formally investigated as long as they have nothing to do with their pregnancy. Unfortunately, in this case, the line manager’s comments appear to be entirely influenced by the Rosemary’s pregnancy and that is a big risk for the employer.