1 week Ago By Simran Singh
A UK woman has been awarded £28,000 after an employment tribunal found her dismissal was due to her pregnancy. Nikita Twitchen, an admin assistant at First Grade Projects in Pontypridd, launched an unfair dismissal claim, alleging that her employer fired her after discovering she was pregnant again following her maternity leave. According to Twitchen, during her back-to-work meeting in early 2022, Managing Director Jeremy Morgan seemed surprised when she shared the news of her second pregnancy.
Initially, Morgan expressed enthusiasm about Twitchen’s return to work. However, Twitchen testified that his attitude shifted once she revealed her pregnancy, and she believed this disclosure led to her termination. After her maternity leave ended in March 2022, Twitchen received no communication regarding her return.
When she emailed her boss about holiday entitlement in April, she received no response, which she found unusual. After multiple follow-ups, Morgan informed her on April 18 that she was being made redundant due to financial struggles and delays in payments to the company. He later added that her role was no longer necessary due to the installation of new software.
The tribunal, however, ruled in Twitchen’s favour, finding her dismissal was discriminatory. Judge Robin Harvard highlighted inconsistencies in Morgan’s justification for the redundancy. He pointed out that during the February meeting, Morgan had claimed the business was doing well, with no mention of financial issues or software changes.
Moreover, First Grade Projects failed to provide evidence of the financial struggles or new software during the tribunal. Judge Harvard ruled that Twitchen’s dismissal was "unfair and discriminatory," noting the emotional distress caused by her sudden loss of financial stability while pregnant. He also criticised the company’s failure to provide Twitchen with a written explanation of her dismissal.
In response to the tribunal’s decision, First Grade Projects stated, "We are extremely disappointed with the outcome...
We are actively reviewing all relevant information and considering all available options." The company declined to comment further. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Viral and around the world.
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