A boss fired an employee when she returned from maternity leave pregnant again.
Nikita Twitchen was getting ready to go back to her job as an office assistant at First Grade Projects when she lost her job. She started working at the company in Pontypridd in October 2021 and became pregnant soon after, going on maternity leave in June 2022.
Nikita told an employment tribunal that she had a “very good” working relationship with the managing director, Jeremy Morgan, and said he was always willing to talk when she needed him.
After having her baby and getting ready to return to work, Twitchen met with her boss on 17 February 2023. The meeting started off well, with Morgan saying he was excited for her to come back and they agreed on her working hours.
However, Twitchen said it was a “shock” when she told him she was pregnant again, this time eight weeks along. He claimed he congratulated her, but she disagreed.
When Twitchen’s maternity leave ended on 26 March, no one from First Grade contacted her to confirm her return to work, even though she expected to start on 3 April.
After following up with Morgan, he eventually replied, saying, “It’s best to wait until you have your routine in place.”
Morgan later claimed that her position no longer existed due to new software, and mentioned that a workshop manager had also been laid off earlier in the year, which Twitchen hadn’t known about.
From June to October 2023, she worked at a launderette and a caravan park, despite the tough conditions, up until 39 weeks of pregnancy. The judge praised her for this effort.
On 4 April, Twitchen asked about her holiday entitlement for later in the year, but Morgan didn’t give a proper response. When she followed up, Morgan called her on 18 April to tell her she was being laid off due to financial problems and payment delays affecting the business.
The judge mentioned that Twitchen needed a job to support her family financially.
He also pointed out that Morgan didn’t mention any financial problems or layoffs during their meeting in February. In fact, he had said the business was doing well.
First Grade was criticized for not providing any proof of these supposed issues during the court case, and Twitchen never received a written explanation for why she was let go.
Since Twitchen was fired, the company had rebranded, hired new staff, and invested in vehicles. The judge said this raised doubts about Morgan’s claim that the company was struggling financially.
It was decided that Twitchen was fired because she was pregnant. Morgan’s change in attitude after finding out about her pregnancy, his slower responses to her messages, and the lack of any real evidence for a different reason for her dismissal were all considered.
The judge concluded that Twitchen’s dismissal was unfair, discriminatory, and caused her significant stress, as she lost her job while pregnant and her financial security with family responsibilities. First Grade and Morgan were ordered to pay her £28,706 in compensation.
First Grade Projects told WalesOnline they were disappointed with the tribunal’s decision and were reviewing the case, but couldn’t comment further at this time.