A human resources executive was “degraded and humiliated” by managers when she returned from maternity leave and was forced to clean lavatories.
Sabbah Messum was demoted to housekeeping duties to punish her for having gone on maternity leave, Leeds employment tribunal has ruled.
The hearing was told that Gul Nawaz Akbar, one of the company’s managers, tried to force her to resign after she returned from having her baby by shouting at her and ordering her to do physically demanding work.
While Messum was on leave, her bosses also falsely accused her of stealing food from the company canteen.
Judge Sarah-Jane Davies said: “The allegation of theft and demoting her to do general clerical work and housekeeping, including toilet cleaning, were to degrade and humiliate her.”
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The claimant is in line for compensation after Judge Davies ruled that she was the victim of a discriminatory regime that intentionally penalised pregnant workers by creating a hostile and intimidating environment for them.
Messum, who has a master’s degree from Islamabad University in Pakistan, worked at Bradford Management Services in Leeds in 2016 before resigning in 2021.
She succeeded in her claims of pregnancy discrimination, harassment and unfair dismissal. The tribunal will determine the compensation to be paid by the company at a later hearing.