Social worker Poppy Hedges-Staines was concerned about visiting someone with suspected scabies, a contagious disease, so she told her company that she was eight weeks pregnant
A social worker has won a £5,000 payout after receiving a “disappointing” response from a female boss when she announced she was pregnant.
Poppy Hedges-Staines informed her company that she was eight weeks pregnant, even before telling her family, because she was concerned about visiting a person who had suspected scabies, a contagious disease.
An employment tribunal heard that the 30-year-old was told by her line manager to speak to Cheryl Finlayson, director of Ipswich-based CF Social Work, who said: “Poppy, we’ve only just put you on a contract and now you’re telling me you are pregnant.”
Two months later, Miss Hedges-Staines sued for discrimination after she was let go by the company – and represented herself at the hearing as she could not afford to pay for a lawyer.