“You suggest me to have an abortion”: dismissed from her job after announcing her pregnancy, she testifies
Mathilde, employed in an insurance company in Avignon, was dismissed from her job after announcing her pregnancy to her employer, who decided to end her trial period.
Dismissed from her job overnight. Mathilde works in an insurance company in Avignon. A month after her hiring, she learns that she is pregnant and decides to announce it to her employer. Except that his reaction was not the one proposed … She testifies to our colleagues of CMR.
? Mathilde was fired after announcing to the boss that she was pregnant. She contacted ‘RMC is committed to you’. Terminating a contract for pregnancy is prohibited by law. #ApollineMatin pic.twitter.com/4mme6sk5rl
— RMC (@RMCInfo) May 2, 2022
“An accident, it can be solved”
After this announcement, a great silence ensues. Mathilde’s employer tells her: “An accident can be solved”. To which Mathilde replies: “So there, roughly speaking, you are suggesting that I have an abortion“. His boss then replies: “You don’t realize, you’re screwing me in the shit”.
The first six months of my pregnancy, I had a hard time telling myself that I was going to love my child because my professional life went into a spin.
The next day, Mathilde’s employer tells her that her trial period is coming to an end and that she has to leave the same day. It’s a shock for the mother-to-be, who confides to our colleagues: “I had the feeling for 2-3 months of fucking my life up in the air because I wanted to keep my child”. She now says she is “very happy” and seems to have taken a step back with the situation.
As for knowing with certainty whether Mathilde was the victim of discrimination and whether the end of her contract is really linked to her pregnancy, her ex-employer acknowledges that the latter was “one of the factors” in ending her trial period. . On the other hand, he assures RMC that Mathilde’s work “was not entirely satisfactory”.
If he is found guilty of discrimination, the employee can be reinstated in the company or obtain damages. Mathilde was considering an industrial tribunal procedure.
The public service website specifies : “The pregnant employee, on maternity leave and after the birth is protected against dismissal. During maternity leave and during the period of paid leave taken immediately after the latter, she benefits from absolute protection. Dismissal is prohibited Before and after these leaves, she enjoys relative protection. The employer can only dismiss her for serious misconduct or if it is impossible for her to maintain the employment contract.”