Currently, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) helpline receives 15,000 calls a year from employers and employees seeking advice on pregnancy or maternity and redundancy issues. In response to the need for information on this topic, ACAS, in partnership with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, has published new guidance entitled ‘Managing redundancy for pregnant employees or those on maternity leave’.



The guidance has a useful check list for managing the redundancy process fairly. It also sets out the applicable employment law and gives advice in answer to four important questions that employers should ask when deciding which posts should be made redundant:

• Is the redundancy genuine and necessary?
• How do I consult with employees on maternity leave?
• How do I decide the right selection criteria? and
• Is there a suitable alternative vacancy?

There is also a ‘mythbusting’ section, which corrects common misunderstandings surrounding the topic and sets out key facts on managing pregnancy and maternity at work.