By John Connell

Last updated at 11:48, Tuesday, 06 December 2011

A Cumbrian woman has claimed she was “sacked” from her job in a sandwich shop after one day because she was overheard saying that she was trying for a baby.

Clare Hudson

Clare Ellen Hudson, 20, of Casson Road, Workington, is pursuing a claim of unfair dismissal and sex discrimination against Alison Graham who runs Al’s Kitchen on Harrington Road, a Carlisle tribunal heard yesterday.

Ms Hudson claims that Ms Graham rang her up the following morning and asked her not to come back because she could not afford to pay any maternity leave.

But Ms Graham said that the day’s work was only a trial, that no terms of employment had been agreed and that no such reason was given.

Ms Hudson, who is now 15 weeks pregnant, said: “She [Ms Graham] said I had let it slip that I’m trying for a baby. She said she wanted a couple of years of work out of me before I started thinking of a family and she couldn’t afford to pay maternity leave.”

“I felt devastated that I was dismissed because I was trying to have a baby.“I felt that I had to take further action because I didn’t want anyone else to go through the same thing.”

Ms Hudson’s mother, Sheena White, 47, of Westfield Drive, said she had gone to the shop to demand answers on her daughter’s behalf and Ms Graham had given her the same reasons.

“I was very upset for Clare as she has suffered two miscarriages. This job was the light at the end of a long tunnel.“This was a slap in the face and she couldn’t have picked a worse reason to sack someone.”

But Ms Graham cited other reasons why Ms Hudson was unsuitable for the job, claiming her underwear was showing; that she talked loudly and inappropriately in the shop; and that she had asked to listen to music on her MP3 player while working in the back.

Ms Graham said that her tattoos were “not the biggest issue” although she admitted that she didn’t like them.

She added that Ms Hudson had not disclosed that she had left a job in the Trout Hotel, Cockermouth because of problems with her back and arm and that working in Al’s kitchen required manual work, including putting deliveries away.

Ms Hudson said she had cancelled a job interview with United Utilities at around the same time only when Ms Graham had assured her that her job at Ali’s kitchen was guaranteed.

Ms Hudson said: “There was no way that my underwear was on display. They have said that I was wearing pink knickers but I don’t even own pink knickers.”

She added that she probably was speaking too much and admitted asking to listen to her MP3 player because Al’s Kitchen appeared to have a laid back atmosphere and she wasn’t working in the front of the shop.

The tribunal is due to resume next year.

First published at 11:27, Tuesday, 06 December 2011
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk