Nikita Twitchen was all set to go back to her office administration assistant role at First Grade Projects when she found out she had lost her job. Nikita had started working for the Pontypridd-based company in October 2021 and became pregnant not long after, going on maternity leave in June 2022.
She shared during an employment tribunal how she had a ‘very good’ working relationship with managing director Jeremy Morgan, saying that he had always been ‘very responsive’ whenever she needed to discuss anything with him.
But everything changed when Twitchen revealed that she was pregnant again, now at eight weeks. While Morgan claimed to have congratulated her, Twitchen disagreed with that account.
When her maternity leave ended on 26 March, no one from First Grade contacted her about her return to work, even though she was expecting to be back on 3 April.
Then, on 4 April, Twitchen asked about her holiday entitlement for later in the year, but Morgan surprisingly ‘failed to provide a proper response’.
Finally, on 18 April, Morgan called her to say she was being made redundant due to financial struggles and delays in payments to the business.
Twitchen went on to work at a launderette and caravan park between June and October 2023, a role the judge commended her for, noting that she worked ‘in very hot conditions’ all the way up to 39 weeks pregnant.
The judge highlighted that Twitchen was in need of a job for her family’s financial security.
First Grade’s failure to provide evidence of these alleged financial issues during the tribunal was criticised, and at no point did Twitchen receive a written explanation for her dismissal.
It was concluded that Twitchen was dismissed because she was pregnant.
The judge considered Morgan’s ‘shift in attitude’ after learning of the pregnancy, his slower responses to her messages, and the complete absence of any ‘evidence-based alternative explanation’ for her dismissal, despite having had plenty of time to provide one.
First Grade and Morgan were ordered to pay her a compensation of £28,706.
First Grade Projects issued a statement to WalesOnline, saying: “We are extremely disappointed with the outcome of the tribunal. We are actively reviewing all relevant information and considering all available options. At this point in time we are unable to provide any further comment.”
