Mother Speaks Out After Heartbreaking Job Loss
A mother has shared the heartrending experience of being terminated from her job via text message on the very day of her stillborn daughter’s funeral. Lou Temlett, now 47, was employed as a project manager at a national company and was still within her probationary period when the shocking message arrived. She recounts her journey with The i Paper, coinciding with new research conducted by the campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed in collaboration with Women in Data. This study reveals a troubling increase in the number of women being pushed out of their jobs during pregnancy, maternity leave, or upon their return to work.
The data indicates that approximately 74,000 women each year now lose their jobs due to pregnancy-related issues or while on maternity leave. This marks a staggering 37 percent rise from the 54,000 reported in 2016. Ms. Temlett, residing in Bath and raising a 14-year-old and a seven-year-old as a single parent, faced immense challenges during her pregnancy.
“During my pregnancy, I had several scans, and the doctors were unable to visualize certain parts of my baby’s heart,” she explained. Following genetic testing, she faced a torturous wait of three weeks for the results. The devastating news arrived one afternoon while she was at work.
Ultimately, Lou made the incredibly difficult decision to terminate her pregnancy at 26 weeks after being informed that her daughter would face severe health complications and might not survive. “I was overwhelmed with emotion, and my manager escorted me through the open-plan office, where everyone could see how distraught I was,” she recalled.
After the stillbirth, Ms. Temlett had to endure a grueling 14-hour labor. “Making that decision was profoundly emotional, and I felt an immense sense of guilt and sorrow. I returned to work the week after the stillbirth, and I took a day off for the funeral, which was scheduled about two and a half weeks later.”
On the morning of her daughter’s funeral, Ms. Temlett was blindsided by a text informing her that her employment was terminated with immediate effect. “It was a horrific experience. I was still within my probationary period, and they cited poor performance as the reason,” she said. “I had consistently met my work obligations, and there had been no prior discussions regarding my performance. The termination notice came solely through that text message on the day of the funeral.”
“I genuinely believe that they didn’t want someone who was pregnant, or who might become pregnant again, in such a senior role within their organization.” The loss of her stillborn daughter in 2012 eventually contributed to the dissolution of her marriage. Although she later had her now seven-year-old child with a new partner, she is currently a single mother managing her two children while being self-employed. “It’s heartbreaking to see how many women lose their jobs due to pregnancy or maternity leave,” she lamented.
Kate Miller, a 32-year-old resident of Newcastle, also shared her experience of job loss. She was informed of her redundancy via a Zoom call just two weeks after giving birth to her son, Luca, who is now 10 months old. Ms. Miller, who worked as a sales director for an advertising agency, was attending a hospital appointment shortly after her son’s birth when she received a WhatsApp message from HR requesting her to join a Zoom call.
“I didn’t notice the message until I returned home, and when I responded, I was asked if I could join a call the following morning. During that call, the CEO read from a script, announcing the closure of the UK division of the company,” she recounted. “It was completely unexpected, and I was left feeling emotional and shocked, as I had not prepared for such news.”
One month later, after she had been compensated for her redundancy, she discovered that the company was advertising for her exact former position with the same job description. “I truly believe my job loss was directly linked to my recent motherhood. When they hired me, I was single, and soon after, I had my baby. It’s appalling to think that women can be treated so unfairly during such a vulnerable time in their lives.”
A survey conducted with 35,800 parents indicated that 12 percent of women face termination, constructive dismissal, or redundancy while pregnant, on maternity leave, or within a year of returning from maternity leave. The report estimates that this alarming statistic could represent around 74,000 women forced out of their jobs annually.
- Half of pregnant women, those on maternity leave, and those returning from maternity leave reported negative experiences at work, prompting one in five to resign.
- A third of women indicated they were sidelined or demoted during their pregnancy, maternity leave, or upon returning, yet only 2 percent pursued claims to a tribunal.
While it is illegal to dismiss an employee solely due to pregnancy, it remains possible to be let go if the employer can justify the dismissal as fair. Joeli Brearley, the founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, stated, “We have long suspected that conditions are deteriorating rather than improving. Our free advice line is inundated with calls, to the point where we struggle to manage demand. The revelation that 74,000 mothers are being pushed out of their jobs annually for simply choosing to have children is both unsurprising and devastating.”
Taisiya Merkulova from Women In Data emphasized the need for collective action to bridge the gender gap and remove the obstacles women face in achieving equal opportunities in the workplace while reducing the unspoken ‘tax’ on mothers due to additional unpaid labor at home.
If you need support, please visit maternityaction.org.uk or call the Sands helpline at 0808 164 3332.
