โ ๏ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ท๐ผ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป?
๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐โฆ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด?
She didnโt expect special treatment.
Just a bit of support.
But instead,
She was dismissed.
While pregnant.
By one of the UKโs biggest retailers.
She was six weeks into a bakery role at M&S.
She had a known back condition.
They agreed - no lifting over 5kg.
Then she transferred stores.
No one briefed the new manager.
Suddenly she was lifting heavy trays.
She told them she was struggling.
Told them she was pregnant.
And the response?
โYouโre not suitable.โ
Dismissed on the spot.
No alternative offered.
No paperwork.
No thought.
The Tribunal didnโt hold back:
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป. ๐๐๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐น.
Last week, I strained my back lifting camera gear and lights across the room.
(If you follow me on Instagram, youโve seen the behind-the-scenes - I film videos like this to help employers get it right.)
And I thought...
If Iโm doing that with full knowledge of the risk -
What happens to women in lower-paid jobs, under pressure, afraid to speak up?
What happens when managers donโt stop to ask, โshould you be lifting that?โ
This is what we expect pregnant women to do in silence.
Keep going. Keep proving. Keep pushing through pain.
And itโs not just a health and safety issue.
Itโs a leadership issue.
Hereโs what should have happened at M&S:โณ A risk assessment the moment pregnancy was disclosed
โณ Clear documentation of duties and support
โณ Adjustments to her role, lighter work or temporary redeployment
โณ Legal advice before making any decision
โณ Treat pregnancy like the protected characteristic it is - not a problem to fix
โ๏ธ Thatโs what legal compliance looks like
โ๏ธ Thatโs what ethical leadership looks like
Most employers donโt mean to get it wrong.
But without structure and confidence, your team will fall back on fear.
We donโt let that happen.
We train managers to lead with clarity, compassion and legal confidence -
Especially around womenโs health and rights in the workplace.
If a pregnant employee came to you tomorrow, would you or your managers know what to say?
