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Her boss told her to abort her baby. When she didn't, she was fired.
A young woman working as a hairdresser's apprentice in the United Kingdom has been awarded nearly £30,000 (more than $40,000 USD) after an employment tribunal determined she was discriminated against due to her age and pregnancy.
A woman known as J Hewitt has won a lawsuit against her former employer, Elite Hair Lounge, after an employment tribunal found she was wrongfully terminated due to her pregnancy.
Hewitt was 19 and working as a trainee stylist when she became pregnant. Her manager suggested she have an abortion.
Hewitt did not abort her baby, and went on to face various instances of pregnancy discrimination. She was fired when she inquired about returning to work after maternity leave.
The employment tribunal awarded her nearly £30,000.
The 19-year-old woman, known as J Hewitt, was working as a trainee stylist at Elite Hair Lounge in Stockwell, London, when she told her manager, Edna Houshyar, she was pregnant in December 2023.
Shockingly, Houshyar suggested Hewitt "should have an abortion as she was too young." Houshyar also questioned whether the baby's father was “around."
As her pregnancy progressed, Hewitt experienced discrimination; she was wrongfully marked late after attending a medical appointment and was also told she could not leave for an ultrasound visit.
As Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) reports, "Despite her job requiring prolonged periods of standing, the tribunal found that the salon did not discuss adjustments or conduct a risk assessment."
SPUC further details:
In January 2024, Hewitt was signed off work after suffering pregnancy-related migraines. Houshyar subsequently told her: “I don’t think with this situation that you have, and all these days that you are asking for a day off, you can continue.”
The case culminated on 18 January, when Hewitt messaged her manager asking what would happen to her job during maternity leave and whether she could resume her apprenticeship after giving birth.
Around 20 minutes later, she was informed that her apprenticeship had been terminated because unspecified “milestones” had not been met.
After Hewitt challenged the dismissal and raised the abortion remark, the salon cited lateness, absences, and poor customer service. However, the tribunal found no contemporaneous evidence of performance problems, no previous verbal or written warnings, and concluded that Hewitt had taken no unapproved days off.
Hewitt's case was heard by an employment tribunal, who agreed with her claims of automatic unfair dismissal, direct pregnancy discrimination, and direct age discrimination, which were all upheld in whole or in part.
Employment Judge Beckett ruled that Hewitt's pregnancy was the “reason, or principal reason” she was fired, noting that the that fact she was terminated within minutes of asking about maternity leave was “important evidence” that her termination was due to her pregnancy.
A remedy judgement ordered Elite Hair Lounge to pay Hewitt £29,489.62.
Women have long faced pregnancy discrimination in the workforce, especially because abortion has become so prevalent.
Often, women feel they have no choice but to abort their children in order to keep their jobs and their livelihoods. A large number of companies are willing to subsidize abortion travel or abortion procedures, but will not extend benefits to pregnant and working mothers.
Many mothers choose abortion because they feel they have no other choice. As long as abortion remains legal, pregnant women will continue to experience discrimination.
Live Action News is pro-life news and commentary from a pro-life perspective.
Our work is possible because of our donors. Please consider giving to further our work of changing hearts and minds on issues of life and human dignity.
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Guest Articles: To submit a guest article to Live Action News, email editor@liveaction.org with an attached Word document of 800-1000 words. Please also attach any photos relevant to your submission if applicable. If your submission is accepted for publication, you will be notified within three weeks. Guest articles are not compensated (see our Open License Agreement). Thank you for your interest in Live Action News!
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·Her boss told her to abort her baby. When she didn't, she was fired.
A young woman working as a hairdresser's apprentice in the United Kingdom has been awarded nearly £30,000 (more than $40,000 USD) after an employment tribunal determined she was discriminated against due to her age and pregnancy.
A woman known as J Hewitt has won a lawsuit against her former employer, Elite Hair Lounge, after an employment tribunal found she was wrongfully terminated due to her pregnancy.
Hewitt was 19 and working as a trainee stylist when she became pregnant. Her manager suggested she have an abortion.
Hewitt did not abort her baby, and went on to face various instances of pregnancy discrimination. She was fired when she inquired about returning to work after maternity leave.
The employment tribunal awarded her nearly £30,000.
The 19-year-old woman, known as J Hewitt, was working as a trainee stylist at Elite Hair Lounge in Stockwell, London, when she told her manager, Edna Houshyar, she was pregnant in December 2023.
Shockingly, Houshyar suggested Hewitt "should have an abortion as she was too young." Houshyar also questioned whether the baby's father was “around."
As her pregnancy progressed, Hewitt experienced discrimination; she was wrongfully marked late after attending a medical appointment and was also told she could not leave for an ultrasound visit.
As Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) reports, "Despite her job requiring prolonged periods of standing, the tribunal found that the salon did not discuss adjustments or conduct a risk assessment."
SPUC further details:
In January 2024, Hewitt was signed off work after suffering pregnancy-related migraines. Houshyar subsequently told her: “I don’t think with this situation that you have, and all these days that you are asking for a day off, you can continue.”
The case culminated on 18 January, when Hewitt messaged her manager asking what would happen to her job during maternity leave and whether she could resume her apprenticeship after giving birth.
Around 20 minutes later, she was informed that her apprenticeship had been terminated because unspecified “milestones” had not been met.
After Hewitt challenged the dismissal and raised the abortion remark, the salon cited lateness, absences, and poor customer service. However, the tribunal found no contemporaneous evidence of performance problems, no previous verbal or written warnings, and concluded that Hewitt had taken no unapproved days off.
Hewitt's case was heard by an employment tribunal, who agreed with her claims of automatic unfair dismissal, direct pregnancy discrimination, and direct age discrimination, which were all upheld in whole or in part.
Employment Judge Beckett ruled that Hewitt's pregnancy was the “reason, or principal reason” she was fired, noting that the that fact she was terminated within minutes of asking about maternity leave was “important evidence” that her termination was due to her pregnancy.
A remedy judgement ordered Elite Hair Lounge to pay Hewitt £29,489.62.
Women have long faced pregnancy discrimination in the workforce, especially because abortion has become so prevalent.
Often, women feel they have no choice but to abort their children in order to keep their jobs and their livelihoods. A large number of companies are willing to subsidize abortion travel or abortion procedures, but will not extend benefits to pregnant and working mothers.
Many mothers choose abortion because they feel they have no other choice. As long as abortion remains legal, pregnant women will continue to experience discrimination.
Live Action News is pro-life news and commentary from a pro-life perspective.
Our work is possible because of our donors. Please consider giving to further our work of changing hearts and minds on issues of life and human dignity.
Contact editor@liveaction.org for questions, corrections, or if you are seeking permission to reprint any Live Action News content.
Guest Articles: To submit a guest article to Live Action News, email editor@liveaction.org with an attached Word document of 800-1000 words. Please also attach any photos relevant to your submission if applicable. If your submission is accepted for publication, you will be notified within three weeks. Guest articles are not compensated (see our Open License Agreement). Thank you for your interest in Live Action News!
Nancy Flanders
·Issues
Nancy Flanders
·Issues
Bridget Sielicki
·Issues
Nancy Flanders
·Issues
Anne Marie Williams, RN, BSN
·Issues
Cassy Cooke
·International
Bridget Sielicki
·Issues
Bridget Sielicki
·Abortion Pill
Bridget Sielicki
·Investigative
Bridget Sielicki
·Politics
Bridget Sielicki
·