Zim Care Worker Fired For Giving Birth in UK Awarded US$20k
A Zimbabwean woman has been awarded £14,930.17 (US$19,996) after the UK Employment Tribunal ruled she was unfairly dismissed for childbirth.
The woman, Sihle Moyo, was employed by Cecil Home Care Services Limited. She brought a claim for automatic unfair dismissal under Section 99(1) of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
The case, number 3200517/2024, was heard at the East London Hearing Centre by video before Employment Judge B Gardiner. Moyo represented herself, while the Respondent was represented by Ella Onuoha, Care Coordinator.
In a judgment dated, the Tribunal found that Moyo’s complaint of automatic unfair dismissal was well founded and succeeds because the reason or the principal reason for her dismissal was childbirth.
The Tribunal ordered that by way of remedy, the Claimant is entitled to a compensatory award of £14,930.17 in accordance with Section 123 of the Employment Rights Act 1996. The award was calculated as 64.7 weeks loss of earnings at £230.76 per week. The Tribunal said no reduction falls to be made under Section 123(6) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 nor any uplift under Section 207A of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
Reasons for the judgment were given orally at the hearing.
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