The TUC has recently published a report, in which it has set out its findings in relation to the manner in which pregnant employees and those on maternity leave have been treated during the current COVID-19 crisis. So what did the TUC find?

The TUC’s findings

Of the 3,400 women who were surveyed, 25% felt they had been unfairly treated during the pandemic. Some felt unfairly selected to redundancy or furlough; others were put under pressure to take unpaid leave or sick leave or start their maternity leave early, even when it was not their wish to do so.

What now?

Given the apparent findings of this survey, the TUC is asking the government to introduce new laws which would require all employers to undertake an immediate and individual written risk assessment as soon as they become aware that an employee is pregnant, has given birth in the last six months or its breastfeeding. The TUC has also advocated greater enforcement of (and possibly the extension of) the right of pregnant employees to be suspended on full pay in circumstances where identified health and safety risks in the workplace cannot properly be addressed.

If you would be interested in reading the full report, here is a link to the relevant document:

https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-06/PregMatCovid-19.pdf