I11Redundancy during a protected period of pregnancy

1

The Employment Rights Act 1996 is amended as follows.

2

After Part 5A (protection for applicants for employment etc in the health service) insert—

PART 5BRedundancy during a protected period of pregnancy

49DRedundancy during a protected period of pregnancy

1

The Secretary of State may, by regulations, make provision about redundancy during, or after, a protected period of pregnancy.

2

A protected period of pregnancy is a period relating to the pregnancy of an employee that is calculated in accordance with regulations made by the Secretary of State.

3

Provision made by virtue of subsection (1) may include—

a

provision requiring an employer to offer alternative employment;

b

provision for the consequences of failure to comply with the regulations (which may include provision for dismissal to be treated as unfair for the purposes of Part 10).

4

Provision made by virtue of subsection (2) may include provision for the protected period of pregnancy to begin after the end of the pregnancy.

3

In section 191 (Crown employment), in subsection (2), after paragraph (b) insert—

ba

Part 5B,

4

In section 192 (armed forces), in subsection (2), after paragraph (ab) insert—

ac

Part 5B,

5

In section 194 (House of Lords staff), in subsection (2), after paragraph (c) insert—

ca

Part 5B,

6

In section 195 (House of Commons staff), in subsection (2), after paragraph (c) insert—

ca

Part 5B,

7

In section 199 (mariners)—

a

in subsection (2), after “47F,” insert “Part 5B, sections”, and

b

in subsection (8), after paragraph (b) insert—

ba

Part 5B,

8

In section 236 (orders and regulations), in subsection (3), after “49C,” insert “49D,”.