Covid-19: Pregnant woman dismissed by Belfast firm awarded £15k

Susanne Rice was pregnant with daughter Isobella at the time she was dismissed by Flint Studios Ltd

A woman who was made redundant while shielding during pregnancy has been awarded £15,000 in a discrimination case.

Flint Studios Ltd, based in Belfast, paid the money without admission of liability.

Susanne Rice was the only woman on the company's senior leadership team.

She said a male colleague once described maternity leave as being "like an extended holiday".

As operations manager for the website design company, Ms Rice found out she was pregnant in January 2020.

She was then given a shielding letter from her GP at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and in May she was told a redundancy process had started.

Ms Rice then informed her employer she was 20 weeks pregnant, although she told BBC News NI she believed the firm had already been aware of this.

Her contract was terminated in June 2020, despite appeals, including Ms Rice suggesting ways in which her position could be retained.

'Stressful and sad'

"It was a very stressful situation," she said, adding that the ordeal had affected her "physically and mentally".

The 36-year-old alleged she was excluded from e-mails and meetings while working for the company and could not perform her role fully.

She also claimed a male colleague said: "I am older than you, I have more experience than you and so I know better."

Ms Rice said "it was a very stressful time, a very sad time".

"I felt very disrespected and humiliated with how I was treated throughout the redundancy process," she added.

Ms Rice was supported in her case by the Equality Commission.

Its senior legal officer, Mary Kitson, said a progressive organisation would "not stereotype and exclude women and will ensure that pregnant employees feel welcome and valued in the workplace".

The commission said the case was settled before it went to a hearing and the company had affirmed its commitment to the principle of equality as part of the settlement.

Flint Studios Ltd will also liaise with the Equality Commission to review its policies and procedures.

Ms Rice, who has since given birth to Isobella and studied for a master's degree, said she feels "valued and supported" in her new workplace.

"Things get better, so it's nice to come out the other end," she added.