Healthcare worker dismissed after raising pregnancy concerns: tribunal finds automatic unfair dismissal
A healthcare worker was dismissed days after telling her employer she was pregnant. The tribunal awarded £26,898 for unfair dismissal, pregnancy discrimination, harassment, and victimisation.
1 min read · Last updated 18 May 2026
Case details
Key facts
- The claimant was employed by the First Respondent as a healthcare worker.
- The claimant became pregnant and informed the respondents.
- The respondents failed to conduct a pregnancy risk assessment and withdrew shifts.
- The Third Respondent displayed hostility and blamed the claimant's pregnancy during a phone call on 14 February 2022.
- The Fourth Respondent dismissed the claimant on 18 February 2022.
- The respondents did not enter a response or attend the hearing.
Timeline
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Claimant sends email
The claimant sent an email to the respondents regarding her pregnancy and shifts.
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Messages and calls ignored
The respondents did not respond to the claimant's messages and calls.
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Hostile phone call with Third Respondent
The Third Respondent displayed hostility, blamed the claimant's pregnancy, and put the phone down when she alleged discrimination.
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Conversation with Fourth Respondent
The Fourth Respondent told the claimant it was up to the Third Respondent to decide, told her to forget about discrimination, and offered shifts on condition she did not raise a grievance.
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Claimant dismissed
The Fourth Respondent dismissed the claimant.
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Hearing
The hearing took place at London Central Employment Tribunal via Cloud video Platform.
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Judgment issued
Employment Judge Murphy issued the judgment.
The legal issue
The tribunal had to decide whether the claimant was automatically unfairly dismissed due to pregnancy, whether she suffered unfavourable treatment because of pregnancy, harassment related to sex, and victimisation.
The outcome
The tribunal found in favour of the claimant on most claims, including automatic unfair dismissal, unfavourable treatment because of pregnancy, harassment related to sex, and victimisation. The respondents did not attend the hearing or file a response.
Compensation awarded:
- Injury to feelings: £1,000 (unfavourable treatment – failure to respond and risk assessment)
- Financial losses: £900 (same claim)
- Injury to feelings: £4,000 (jointly with Third Respondent for further unfavourable treatment)
- Injury to feelings: £12,100 (jointly with Fourth Respondent for dismissal and other acts)
- Financial losses: £7,398 (jointly with Fourth Respondent)
- Injury to feelings: £1,500 (harassment related to sex, jointly with Third Respondent)
- Total: £26,898
Lessons & takeaways
- Pregnant employees are entitled to a risk assessment and must not be treated unfavourably because of pregnancy.
- Dismissing an employee shortly after they raise pregnancy discrimination is likely to be automatically unfair.
- Telling an employee not to put things in writing or to drop a grievance in exchange for shifts is victimisation.
- Employers who fail to respond to tribunal claims risk a default judgment and higher costs.
This case shows how quickly a workplace can turn hostile when an employee becomes pregnant. The claimant, a healthcare worker, informed her employer of her pregnancy in early February 2022. Instead of conducting a risk assessment or offering support, the employer withdrew her shifts, ignored her messages, and within ten days dismissed her.
What went wrong
The employer's response was a textbook example of what not to do. The Third Respondent blamed the claimant's pregnancy for the lack of work and put the phone down when she alleged discrimination. The Fourth Respondent offered shifts on condition she did not raise a grievance. When she persisted, she was dismissed. The tribunal found these acts amounted to unfavourable treatment, harassment, and victimisation.
The result
The tribunal awarded £26,898 in total, including £17,600 for injury to feelings and £8,298 for financial losses. The employer did not attend the hearing or file a response, which meant the claimant's evidence was unchallenged. The case is a reminder that failing to engage with tribunal proceedings does not make the claim go away — it often makes the outcome worse.
What this means for similar claims
For employees, this case reinforces that pregnancy discrimination claims can succeed even without a formal response from the employer. It also highlights the importance of keeping records of all communications, as the tribunal relied heavily on the claimant's email trail and notes of phone calls. For employers, the message is clear: ignoring a pregnant employee's requests for a risk assessment, withdrawing shifts, and dismissing her shortly after she raises concerns will almost certainly be found unlawful.
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