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PippaJane

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https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mum-wins-23000-after-told-26310463?utm_source=mirror_newsletter&utm_campaign=daily_evening_newsletter2&utm_medium=email

Mum wins £23,000 after told she's not 'needed' while off with severe morning sickness

Kiran Nasreen was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, a condition which gained notoriety after Kate Middleton was diagnosed with the condition during her own pregnancies

By Kelly-Ann Mills News Reporter

15:50, 23 Feb 2022

A law firm receptionist has won £23,000 after her bosses told her she was "no longer needed" while she was off work sick with the same debilitating severe morning sickness condition suffered by Kate Middleton.  Kiran Nasreen was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, which can leave women bedridden and vomiting, and told her boss, Dr Akbar Ali Malik, she was unable to work.  But an employment tribunal heard her texts and calls were ignored so her husband went into the office on her behalf to explain.  The panel was told Dr Malik was "hostile" and refused to take her sick notes or medical evidence because she was "no longer needed" after working at the firm for three years.nnThe Duchess of Cambridge suffered from the condition with all three of her pregnancies and ended up in hospital while carrying her firstborn, Prince George.  It affects up to 2% of women in the UK and is one of the most common reasons for hospitalisation during pregnancy, according to the NHS.  Mrs Nasreen won her discrimination claim after a panel ruled that bosses believed her difficult pregnancy was "inconvenient" to the firm.  She has been awarded £23,413 in compensation.  Mrs Nasreen began working for Malik Law Chambers, a London-based immigration solicitors firm, in December 2014 as a receptionist where Dr Malik was her line manager and the pair had a good working relationship.  In December 2017, she became pregnant.  She told Dr Malik about her pregnancy and that she was already having some sickness and might encounter further difficulties so may need time off, the panel heard.  After she went off work on January 20, she sent texts to Dr Malik saying she was very unwell and apologised for being unable to come in.  But the panel heard he did not answer these, nor her calls.  Mrs Nasreen's husband then went into the office to give Dr Malik copies of sick notes and medical evidence as in February, while seven weeks pregnant, she was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum.  Despite her husband reiterating that her illness was pregnancy-related, Dr Malik sacked her, the tribunal heard.  Mrs Nasreen then sent her sick note and hospital letter again, hoping Dr Malik would reconsider his decision to fire her.  But she later received her December payment along with her Christmas bonus and nothing further despite her having worked until January 20, the hearing was told.  Mrs Nasreen has now successfully sued her bosses at an employment tribunal for pregnancy discrimination, unauthorised deduction from wages and unfair dismissal.  The panel headed by employment judge David Massarella concluded that problems only arose when she became pregnant, with Malik Law Chambers taking "none of the usual steps in relation to a pregnant employee".

Judge Massarella said: "We infer from all the evidence that [Dr Malik's] attitude to her changed when he realised she was having a difficult pregnancy, which was giving rise to a protracted period of sickness absence and (inevitably) a period of maternity leave.  This was inconvenient to the firm and Dr Malik decided to dispense with her services in a summary fashion.  The problems only arose after she became pregnant.  Dr Malik's attitude to her and her husband became hostile and uncooperative."

Malik Law Chambers was shut down by Solicitors Regulation Authority in 2018, two months after Mrs Nasreen was fired.

Find help and support

Pregnancy Sickness Support is a registered UK charity working to improve care, treatment and support for women suffering from Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy (NVP) and the severe form of the condition; Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). Call them on 024 7638 2020 or contact the WhatsApp text help on 07899 245001

The HER Foundation A non-profit organisation that provides support, groundbreaking research, advocacy, and education on hyperemesis. Since 2000, it has been the leading source of information on HG and have helped hundreds of thousands of families across the globe.