Updated 03.54 | Published 03.35
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One woman had her probationary employment terminated when she was on sick leave due to pregnancy-related problems.
Discrimination, DO now states and requests that the municipality pay compensation to the woman.
At the beginning of 2023, the woman started a trial job in home care in a municipality in western Sweden. After a couple of days, she took sick leave due to pregnancy-related problems – and at the beginning of May, she was informed that the probationary employment was terminated due to the absence.
According to the municipality, the employment was terminated because they were unable to evaluate the woman’s work effort and competence due to the absence due to illness.
But the Discrimination Ombudsman, DO, now states that the woman has been discriminated against.
“EU law provides strong protection against discrimination against pregnant women in working life. If the protection would only cover pregnant women whose ability to work is not affected by the pregnancy, it would not be appropriate,” says Sandra Danowsky, process manager at DO’s process unit, in a press release.
“Absence due to pregnancy-related problems cannot therefore be assessed in the same way as other absences”.
DO requests that the municipality pay SEK 150,000 in compensation to the woman.