Sacked DO compensated after miscarriage

A trainee dispensing optician in Lincoln has received £14,588 in compensation after being unfairly dismissed by Bingham & Young Optical following a miscarriage.

A tribunal found that Ellis Taylor faced discrimination during her pregnancy and was dismissed because of absences she had taken related to a miscarriage.

Practice director Chaz Uppal terminated Taylor’s contract on the day she was signed off work by the doctor after struggling to come to terms with her miscarriage.

In the tribunal evidence, Uppal said he told Taylor about her dismissal before he knew she had been signed off and told her there had been complaints from customers.

However, the tribunal found this to be fabricated and Uppal, in fact, had told Taylor in a phone call that he terminated her contract because she had been signed off, which meant he had to find cover.