Pregnant care manager wins £8,000 discrimination claim

A care manager who was sacked eight days after revealing that she was pregnant has won a discrimination claim and been awarded more than £8,000 compensation. 

The case involved Gemma Ferridge-Gunn, who started working at Alcedo Orange in Blackpool in January 2020. 

Alcedo Orange provide personal care and assistance to people living in their own homes.  

On February 19, Ferridge-Gunn told her manager Rosie Caunt that she was pregnant. Caunt asked if it wasn’t just a virus and how long she would be off work. 

Caunt then told Ferridge-Gunn to “stop faffing and go home”.  

Ferridge-Gunn took two days leave on February 24 and 25 due to morning sickness. 

Caunt said she was worried about diarrhoea, vomiting and other viral illnesses, which could adversely affect the patients. 

She and managing director Andrew Boardman discussed the situation. Caunt said that keeping Ferridge-Gunn was “unsustainable”. 

Ferridge-Gunn was dismissed by the company on February 27. Alcedo Orange said that she had failed to meet the targets that had been set for her. Boardman said that her figures were “the worst he had ever seen”.  

Ferridge-Gunn said that she had not been given sufficient training.  

The Employment Tribunal rejected her unfair dismissal claim but upheld her claim of discrimination related to pregnancy.  

Employment Judge Benson said: “In essence Ms Caunt was saying to Mr Boardman that the claimant could not continue in her role. In doing that when she did, we consider that the claimant’s pregnancy was a significant influence upon her view.” 

Ferridge-Gunn was awarded £2,171.22 for financial losses and £6,000 for injury to feelings. 

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