A healthcare worker, Robyn Gibbins, has won a harassment claim against Cardiff and Vale University Health Board after being denied a private, lockable space to express breast milk upon returning from maternity leave. The employment tribunal ruled that the lack of suitable facilities amounted to “harassment related to sex.”
Healthcare Worker’s Concerns Ignored After Maternity Leave
Gibbins, who began working as a healthcare support worker at the Heath Hospital site in May 2019, returned from her first maternity leave in August 2021. She requested a secure, lockable room to express breast milk but was instead given a sign to place on the door and told to prop a chair against it for privacy. This makeshift solution left her feeling “vulnerable, degraded, and concerned for her privacy.”
During one incident, a male colleague accidentally entered the room while Gibbins was expressing, leaving her “exposed and embarrassed.” It was not until October 2021 that a lock, costing just £5.50, was installed on a manager’s door. However, the situation repeated after her second maternity leave in 2023, as a lockable room was only available at limited times.
Tribunal Ruling Highlights Harassment Related to Sex
The employment tribunal ruled in Gibbins’s favor, with Judge Rachel Harfield stating that breastfeeding mothers need privacy to feel secure and relaxed. The absence of appropriate facilities left Gibbins feeling “belittled,” with her needs not being taken seriously.
The judge emphasized that expressing milk is a deeply personal activity, and failure to meet an individual’s privacy expectations can cause significant emotional distress.
Health Board Responds to Tribunal Ruling
A spokesperson for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board stated: “The health board is committed to ensuring all colleagues are treated respectfully, with dignity and without discrimination or prejudice. We are fully cooperating with the employment tribunal and are unable to comment further at this stage.”
A hearing to determine Gibbins’s compensation is scheduled to take place later.
