Ginger v Department for Work and Pensions [2018]

The Claimant was employed as a ‘Work Coach’ at a Job Centre run by the Respondent. She informed her then-manager that she may require some time off at short notice for IVF treatment. Some months later, the Claimant suffered a miscarriage and was absent from work for about 4 months.

A formal attendance review meeting was held to discuss how her return to work could be facilitated and another meeting was held to discuss her time off work on sickness absence. When she returned she explained the miscarriage and the fact that she was attending counselling. The Claimant referred to eight specific incidents which she argued amounted individually and cumulatively to direct discrimination and/or