The level of discrimination at work against pregnant women and new mothers is well-documented. Coronavirus adds a raft of additional challenges. If a pregnant woman or new mother has a query about their rights or their work, their first action should be to speak to their workplace rep and their union. And then, together they might decide to look around for expert advice online, or even to seek out some free telephone advice.
Maternity Action, is a charity that campaigns for the rights of pregnant women, new mothers and their families.
You can see Maternity Action’s coronavirus related FAQs on its website here. It also provides free phone advice, by specialist solicitors on employment issues, for pregnant women and new mothers. The links to the phone lines are here.
Just to emphasise, this should complement working closely with your union to tackle an issue. Remember, an issue arising for one worker might well be an issue suffered by others, and should be a collective issue in the workplace. Only your union can win that change.
Government guidance classifies pregnant women as part of the ‘vulnerable people’ group who should observe “social distancing measures”. What does this mean for pregnant women at work? Please see this blog by our very own Sian Elliott, TUC Women’s Policy Officer here.
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