A FACTORY worker has won a discrimination claim against her employers.

Tetyana Kyryk took Polytec Car Styling Bromyard to an employment tribunal after complaining the firm discriminated against her while she was expecting her first child.

The three-man tribunal panel this week found in her favour and awarded her undisclosed damages.

But her partner says it was a bittersweet victory as the ordeal took its toll on Miss Kyryk, 31.

“It was a very stressful time for us both,” said Steve Preece.

“She was in tears every day.”

The tribunal was told during a two-day hearing at Hereford Magistrates’ Court last month that it took almost two months for a new risk assessment for her to be drawn up after she said she was expecting. Miss Kyryk told the panel her absences from work because of antenatal tests were “routinely treated as unauthorised absences”.

Sometimes, after hospital appointments in Hereford, she said she struggled to return to work as she relied on colleagues to get her from her Victoria Park home in Hereford.

She says she agreed with supervisors to have the day off but they said there were times they expected her back after appointments. She was later the subject of disciplinary measures, including a final written warning, for unauthorised absences on days she attended antenatal appointments.

The firm’s human resources manager, Joanne Howard, said she didn’t believe the employee was ever at risk, but admitted a risk assessment should have been done sooner.

She said the firm had no issues with employees taking time off to attend antenatal appointments, adding the issue was Miss Kyryk “not turning up for the rest of her shift”.

Speaking after the hearing, Miss Kyryk, who is still on maternity leave from Polytec, claimed her baby’s health problems were a result of the exposure to glue and the stress she went through at the time.

However, the tribunal heard there was no medical evidence to back this up.

Polytec said it did not wish to make a comment on the tribunal’s decision.