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ARTICLE · 03 DECEMBER 2025

Enhanced Maternity Protection - What Do We Know?

Addleshaw Goddard
Addleshaw Goddard
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Addleshaw Goddard

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The Government has recently launched a consultation on the proposed reforms under the Employment Rights Bill to enhance dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers...

United KingdomEmployment and HR

The Government has recently launched a consultation on the proposed reforms under the Employment Rights Bill to enhance dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers which runs until 15 January 2026.

Background

While legal protections against dismissal related to pregnancy and maternity already exist including enhanced redundancy protections, the Government considers that further legislation is needed to tackle the unfair treatment that persists.

A 2016 report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found that 11% of new mothers felt forced out of their jobs - either because they were treated so poorly they felt they had to leave (9%), were dismissed (1%), or were made compulsorily redundant (1%).

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