A boss fired one of his employees when she came back from maternity leave pregnant again.
Nikita Twitchen was getting ready to resume her role as an office administration assistant at First Grade Projects when she lost her job. She started working at the Pontypridd-based company in October 2021 and went on maternity leave in June 2022 shortly after becoming pregnant.
In her testimony at an employment tribunal, she described her working relationship with managing director Jeremy Morgan as “very good,” noting that he had been “very responsive” whenever she needed to talk to him.
After giving birth and preparing to return to work, Twitchen attended a return-to-work meeting with her boss on February 17, 2023. The meeting began positively, with Morgan expressing excitement about her return and agreeing to her work hours.
However, it came as a shock when Twitchen disclosed her new pregnancy at eight weeks. While Morgan claimed to have congratulated her, Twitchen disagrees with that assertion.
When her maternity leave ended on March 26, no one from First Grade reached out to confirm her return to work, even though she was expecting to be back on April 3.
Chasing a response from Morgan, he eventually responded: “It’s best to leave it until you have your routine in place.”
On April 4, Twitchen inquired about her holiday entitlement for later in the year, but he surprisingly didn’t provide a substantial response.
After further follow-ups, Morgan called the mother on April 18 to inform her that she was being made redundant due to financial issues and delays in payments to the business.
The boss claimed that new software would render Twitchen’s role “no longer exist,” and she mentioned that a workshop manager had been made redundant earlier that year—a fact Twitchen was unaware of.
From June to October 2023, Twitchen took jobs at a launderette and a caravan park, which the judge praised her for, especially considering she worked in extremely hot conditions until she was 39 weeks pregnant.
The judge emphasized the importance of Twitchen securing employment for her family’s financial well-being. He also pointed out that Morgan had not mentioned any financial troubles or redundancy during their meeting in February, stating instead that the business was performing well.
First Grade faced criticism for failing to provide any evidence during the court case regarding the allegations made, and Twitchen did not receive a written explanation for her dismissal at any point.
Moreover, since her termination, the company had undergone rebranding, hired new employees, and invested in vehicles. The judge noted that these developments raised doubts about Morgan’s claim that the company was experiencing financial difficulties.
As a result, it was determined that Twitchen was dismissed due to her pregnancy.
The judge took into account Morgan’s “change of attitude” upon learning of the pregnancy, his altered “speed of response” to messages, and the “complete absence of any coherent evidence-based alternative explanation,” despite having numerous opportunities to provide one.
The conclusion was that Twitchen’s dismissal was unfair and discriminatory, causing her significant anxiety and distress, especially as she lost her job during her pregnancy and faced financial insecurity with her family responsibilities.
First Grade and Morgan were ordered to pay a total compensation of £28,706.
In a statement to WalesOnline, First Grade Projects expressed their disappointment with the tribunal’s outcome, stating, “We are actively reviewing all relevant information and considering all available options. At this point, we are unable to provide any further comment.”
