Nanny wins £1.7K for sexual discrimination

A nanny has been awarded £1,700 by an employment tribunal after the couple she worked for discriminated against her when she became pregnant.

The Scottish employment tribunal upheld Alison Hayton's claim of sexual discrimination and unfair dismissal against Joanna and Damian Mitcham, the Scotsman reports.

Mr and Mrs Mitcham hired Ms Hayton, from Currie, in January 2006 to care for their one-year-old son, but was given notice of dismissal effective from September 1st.

The nanny, who has almost two decades of experience as a nanny, informed her employers that she was pregnant at the end of May and was given a note by her doctor stating that she was suffering from stress at the end of July.

After receiving the note, her employers dismissed her and the tribunal ruled that their decision to fire her was connected to her pregnancy and deterioration in her relationship with Mr and Mrs Mitcham.

Ms Hayton has received an award of £1,786, including £850 compensation from the couple for injured feelings. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 outlaws discrimination against people of the grounds of their gender and gender-related issues such as pregnancy.

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Date:23/07/2007 11:27:04