'One million workers' face discrimination for becoming pregnant

One million female workers in the UK face losing their jobs, being demoted, or being bullied at work, simply as a result of becoming pregnant, the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has revealed.

A new EOC survey shows that women who have been sacked for being pregnant are missing out on £12m of maternity pay each year, while it costs their employers £126m to replacement them.

The EOC says that employers are breaking the law 'on a massive scale', and has called on the Government to give more help to pregnant women and their employers, with access to financial help for micro businesses, to help them manage maternity leave.

The organisation is also recommending that pregnant workers and employers should be provided with a written statement of maternity rights and employer responsibilities, and that firms should be allowed to ask women to give a clearer indication of their plans for returning to work.

The EOC said that it was 'stunned' at the number of women who experienced discrimination after falling pregnant.

Jenny Watson of the EOC said, 'Pregnancy discrimination has a huge impact on their lives but the harm it does to our economy affects us all'.