A mother who was dismissed from her job after returning from maternity leave and announcing her second pregnancy has been awarded £28,000 in compensation.
Nikita Twitchen filed a claim for unfair dismissal after being made redundant from her role as an administrative assistant at First Grade Projects, based in Pontypridd, in April 2022.
During an employment tribunal, Twitchen recalled that her initial return-to-work meeting with managing director Jeremy Morgan began positively, with Morgan expressing enthusiasm for her return. However, Morgan was reportedly “shocked” when Twitchen revealed her new pregnancy at the end of the meeting.
Twitchen described her previous working relationship with Morgan as “very good,” noting that he was always responsive to her inquiries.
After her maternity leave ended in March 2022, she did not receive any communication from the company about her return. On April 4, she asked Morgan about her holiday entitlement, but he gave no clear response, which the tribunal found unusual. Twitchen followed up on April 11 and April 18, and later that day, Morgan informed her she was being made redundant, citing financial difficulties and delays in payments to the business.
Morgan also claimed that new software would make her role obsolete, but Judge Robin Havard pointed out that no mention of financial troubles or redundancy had been made during their February meeting, when Morgan said the business was doing well. Additionally, there was no discussion of new software during the April call.
The judge criticized First Grade for not providing evidence of financial difficulties or the new software during the tribunal. Twitchen also never received a written explanation for her dismissal.
Twitchen noted that since her dismissal, the company had rebranded, hired new staff, and invested in vehicles, casting further doubt on Morgan’s claims of financial hardship.
Judge Havard ruled that Twitchen was dismissed due to her pregnancy, citing Morgan’s change in attitude after hearing the news and his slower responses to her messages. The judge concluded that her dismissal was unfair and discriminatory, causing significant anxiety and distress, especially during her pregnancy.
First Grade and Morgan were ordered to pay £28,706 in compensation. In response, the company expressed disappointment with the tribunal’s decision and stated that they are reviewing the situation, but could not comment further at this time.