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Maternity and Pregnancy

Pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination can occur outside of the workplace (for example in education) if a woman is treated unfavourably because:

  • of her pregnancy
  • she has given birth (within the past 26 weeks) and, in particular, because she is breastfeeding

Pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination can occur in employment if a woman is treated unfavourably because:

  • of her pregnancy
  • of pregnancy-related illness
  • she is on compulsory maternity leave (2 weeks or 4 weeks if she is working in a factory)
  • she is exercising her right to take ordinary or additional maternity leave

The Equality Act 2010 explicitly protects students from less favourable treatment because of breastfeeding.

In Northern Ireland the Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 prohibits discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy and maternity leave in employment and vocational education. There is no explicit protection from less favourable treatment for women who are breastfeeding in Northern Ireland, but similar protection may be afforded through the SDO (1976).