Pregnancy and maternity at work
Pregnant women and new mothers have legal employment rights which are designed to protect their health and safety and that of their expected or new-born children. These rights also protect their contractual terms and conditions of employment and are designed to prevent unlawful discrimination.
Pregnant women and new mothers have the right to:
- paid time-off for ante-natal care
- maternity leave
- maternity pay
- protection from unfair treatment or dismissal
Guidance for employers
As an employer, never try to avoid these legal duties by simply refusing to employ any pregnant women, new mothers or women of child bearing age. Such a policy would certainly amount to sex, pregnancy or maternity discrimination and is likely to be unlawful.
Helpful topics
As an employer you will need to ensure that you, and your managers, understand your legal duties, are committed to fulfilling them and make decisions in a reasoned, consistent and fair manner. The following topics provide guidance on specific issues relating to pregnancy and maternity:
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This guidance was produced in partnership with the Labour Relations Agency
