In the case of Dr K Lidster v UK Research and Innovation, Katie Lidster, was demoted from her position at the Government-backed UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) while caring for her second child, Daisy, who had been born two months premature.
The mother-of-two, who had been based in Devon but often attended overseas conferences and commuted into London once a week, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder but was having counselling and had been feeling positive again, got in touch with her employer seven months after the C-section to discuss her return
However, during an 11-minute phone call, her line manager told her it would be inappropriate to return to that position. She was offered a role with diminished responsibilities, four days a week, and later told that her old job no longer existed.
Five weeks later, Lidster discovered that a role almost identical to her previous one was being advertised internally. “They had added one word to the job description and one responsibility, which I had been doing anyway,” Lidster said. The post was given to the person who had been doing her maternity cover.
UKRI admitted culpability at a Bristol employment tribunal and was ordered to pay £23,000 plus interest in damages.
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