A trainee hairdresser in Dundee took the salon which employed her to a tribunal after they stopped paying her during her maternity leave and told her she no longer had a job.
Mother Julie Hardie was told that as the owner was selling the business he could not afford to keep paying her and saw no need for her to return to work.
Julie was successful in her appeal for unfair dismissal as it is ‘automatically unfair’ if the reasoning behind the dismissal is connected to pregnancy. There were also findings of sex discrimination and lack of proper procedure.
£3,300 of the compensation was awarded for injury to her feelings.
It is helpful to note that Julie was successful in her action despite being employed on a casual, cash in hand basis.
