Fury as bosses axe 74,000 new mums a year

THE number of women losing their job every year for getting pregnant or taking maternity leave has soared to 74,000.

- Alan Jones

That figure was 54,000 a decade ago, according to campaign groups Pregnant Then Screwed and Women In Data.

Their survey of 35,800 parents found that 12% of women are sacked, constructively dismissed or made redundant while pregnant, on maternity leave or within a year of returning from maternity leave.

The report estimated that this could mean as many as 74,000 such women are forced to leave their job every year.