'Getting worse' | Pregnancy & maternity discrimination may cost 74,000 workers their jobs every year

New research has revealed a sharp increase in the number of women who are potentially pushed out of their job when pregnant, during or when returning from maternity leave.

According to the latest findings of Pregnant Then Screwed, in partnership with Women In Data, up to 74,000 women every year now lose their job for getting pregnant or taking maternity leave - an increase of 37%  from 54,000 in 2016.

Pregnant Then Screwed surveyed 35,800 parents, with Women In Data then extracting a nationally representative sample of 5,870 parents to create its State of the Nation report. The report found that 12.3% of women are sacked, constructively dismissed or made redundant whilst pregnant, on maternity leave or within a year of returning from maternity leave.

If scaled up to the general population, this could mean as many as 74,000 women a year are forced to leave their job.