Pregnancy Discrimination and Maternity Lawyers
Specialist pregnancy and maternity discrimination solicitors in London and the South East – here to protect your rights and secure the outcome you deserve.
Treated unfairly because you’re pregnant or on maternity leave? We’re here to help.
Being pregnant or becoming a parent shouldn’t cost you your job, your confidence or your future at work. But for many women, things shift the moment they share the news. Opportunities disappear. Attitudes change. Support fades.
At Thomas Mansfield Solicitors, we support employees and senior professionals facing discrimination linked to pregnancy, maternity leave or motherhood. Some clients come to us unsure whether what’s happened is even legal. Others have already left and want to take action.
Whatever your situation, we’ll help you understand your rights and decide what to do next – whether that’s staying in your role, negotiating a dignified exit or bringing a claim.
How our pregnancy and maternity lawyers support you
Our experienced employment lawyers act for employees and senior executives across all sectors. We’ll guide you with practical advice, empathy and a strategy that’s shaped around your goals.
We can help you:
- Understand your rights under pregnancy and maternity discrimination law.
- Challenge unfair treatment through informal steps or a formal grievance.
- Respond to HR concerns or push for fair adjustments.
- Leave on agreed terms, including through settlement agreements.
- Bring a legal claim if needed, including representation at tribunal.
You don’t need to have everything worked out. We’ll help you plan your next move, protect your position and feel more in control.
Call our employment law team on 0204 571 1443 or
What is pregnancy and maternity discrimination?
You’re protected from discrimination at work from the moment you become pregnant. That protection continues through maternity leave and beyond – especially if the unfair treatment relates back to your pregnancy or time off.
Pregnancy and maternity discrimination includes being treated unfavourably because of:
- Pregnancy.
- Pregnancy-related illness.
- Maternity leave.
Unlike other types of discrimination, you don’t need to compare yourself to a colleague to show you’ve been treated unfairly. If the reason is your pregnancy or maternity, that’s enough under the Equality Act 2010.
Examples of discrimination at work
Sometimes the discrimination is overt. Often, it’s subtle or disguised as business decisions or concern for performance. We regularly act for employees who experience:
- Roles being ‘restructured’ or downgraded during maternity leave.
- Being passed over for promotions or high-profile work.
- Pressure to return early or accept changes to hours or duties.
- Redundancy processes where the scoring or selection feels unfair.
- Performance concerns raised without context after returning from leave.
- Criticism or negative assumptions after requesting flexible working.
- Not being offered the same role after maternity leave.
- Exclusion or loss of responsibility during or after leave.
These behaviours are not always easy to name, but the impact is real. We’ll help you spot what’s unlawful – and take steps to challenge it.
Meet our employment law partners
Why choose our maternity discrimination lawyers.
- Specialist in maternity and pregnancy discrimination – Deep experience advising on legal protections before, during and after maternity leave.
- Experienced in complex, sensitive claims – From unfair redundancy and demotion to capability concerns after returning to work.
- Experts in employment law – Recognised in The Legal 500, Lexcel accredited and members of the Employment Lawyers Association.
- Easy to work with – Offices in London and the South East, plus remote consultations for fast, flexible support wherever you are.
- 5-star client feedback – Clear advice, strong outcomes and support you can trust during difficult times.
Call our employment law team on 020 4579 5997 or
What to do if you’re facing pregnancy or maternity discrimination.
If your pregnancy or maternity leave has affected how you’re treated at work, we’re here to help you understand your rights and next steps.
Frequently asked questions
What if I’ve been told I can’t return to my old job after maternity leave?
You usually have the right to return to the same job after ordinary maternity leave (taking up to 26 weeks’ leave). After additional leave (after taking more than 26 weeks’ leave), you’re entitled to return to the same job, or a suitable alternative - if there’s a good reason why your old role no longer exists. If your responsibilities, reporting lines or location have changed without consultation or justification, it may be discriminatory. We can help you challenge these changes or negotiate a fair outcome.
What are my rights around antenatal appointments?
If you're an employee, you’re entitled to take paid time off to attend antenatal appointments. You don’t have to make the time up or use annual leave. If your employer refuses or penalises you for attending appointments, that may be unlawful. Partners of pregnant employees also have rights to unpaid time off for a limited number of visits. Our pregnancy discrimination lawyers will help you assert your rights and respond if you're being made to feel guilty or penalised for attending necessary appointments.
When does legal protection start – and how long does it last?
You’re protected from pregnancy and maternity discrimination as soon as you become pregnant. This protection lasts throughout your pregnancy, maternity leave and when you return to work - particularly where poor treatment continues or is linked to your pregnancy, a pregnancy-related illness or the fact you took maternity leave. In some cases, discrimination after maternity leave can still be unlawful, especially if it stems from assumptions about your availability, commitment or family responsibilities. We’ll advise you on where you stand and whether you’re within your legal rights to take action.
Is it discrimination if I’ve been overlooked for promotion while on maternity leave?
Yes, it could be. Being left out of key opportunities, projects or promotions because you're on maternity leave - or because you recently returned - may amount to discrimination. Employers should not assume you're ‘not ready’ or ‘not committed’ simply because you’ve had a baby. If decisions are made without consulting you, or you’re excluded from the process altogether, we can help you challenge the decision or negotiate fair treatment going forward.
How do I know if what’s happened counts as pregnancy or maternity discrimination?
If you’ve been treated unfairly because you’re pregnant, on maternity leave or recently returned to work, it may be discrimination. This could include being left out of meetings, overlooked for promotion, criticised, made redundant or pressured to change your hours. The law doesn’t require obvious or intentional bias - if your pregnancy or maternity leave is part of the reason you’ve been treated differently, you may have a claim. We’ll help you make sense of what’s happened and explain your options clearly.
Do I need to tell my employer I’m pregnant to be protected?
Yes - the earlier your employer knows, the sooner your legal protections apply in full. We can help you navigate sensitive situations where disclosure is difficult, or where you’ve faced unfair treatment before formally confirming your pregnancy.
Can I be made redundant while pregnant or on maternity leave?
You can be made redundant - but only in limited, genuinely fair circumstances. Your pregnancy, pregnancy related illness or maternity leave must not be the reason, and the redundancy process must be lawful and transparent. You also potentially have the right to be offered any suitable alternative vacancy before others, if one exists. If you’ve been selected unfairly, overlooked for opportunities or forced out under the label of redundancy, you may have a claim. We’ll help you understand whether your redundancy was genuine or discriminatory.
Can I ask for flexible working after maternity leave?
Yes. You have the legal right to request flexible working, such as part-time hours, hybrid working or a changed schedule from day one of employment. Your employer must deal with the request in a reasonable manner and respond within two months. If they refuse without one of the eight valid business reasons allowed, or if the refusal feels like a punishment for taking leave, you may have a claim. Your maternity lawyer will support you in making the request, responding to unfair refusals, or negotiating something that works for both sides.
Contact us
Contacting the right person couldn’t be easier. Use our form or call us to speak to an experienced employment solicitor in confidence.
Please note we do not offer legal aid or no win no fee agreements.