Southsea mum breaks down in tears while questioning Liz Earle HR boss over being made redundant while heavily pregnant

Helen Larkin of Southsea, who has taken Liz Earle to an employment tribunal

Helen Larkin, representing herself against her former employer Liz Earle Beauty, part of American giant Walgreens Boots Alliance which owns retail heavyweight Boots, quizzed HR chief Lynn Ellsbury in an emotional appearance at Southampton Tribunal Court.

The 38-year-old took aim at the Isle of Wight brand over her swift removal following restructuring plans where jobs were being removed.

Mrs Larkin, who was made redundant from her digital channel marketing manager role on June 15 last year before having her baby on July 24, raised concerns at how Liz Earle - a firm that boasted of its ‘female empowerment’ ethos - could remove her from the company despite ‘legal protections’ due to her pregnancy.

Southsea mum says she was shocked to be made redundant while heavily pregnant

The mum-of-two from Southsea, who worked for the company between 2013 and 2018, had to compose herself several times while fighting back tears, before asking Ms Ellsbury: ‘Legal protections are put in place to ensure the health of the mum and baby. Did you worry about the risk to myself and the baby when making me redundant?’

Ms Ellsbury responded: ‘We did risk assessments, supported you with your antenatal appointments, your manager was supportive of you and there was HR support.’

Mrs Larkin fired back: ‘So that’s the length and breadth of what you see as support of the maternity protection period?’

Ms Ellsbury, offered a solitary ‘yes’ in response, before going on to expand her approach.

‘I have to have the businesses best interests in mind. Everyone (who is being made redundant) has a particular personal situation,’ she said.

‘You try to be as empathetic as possible but it is a process where you have to be robust.

‘We tried to be as supportive as possible by doing things like offering you tissues and thanking you.

‘Other than putting our arms around you and giving you a big hug there’s not much more we could do.’

Mrs Larkin questioned whether the ‘restructure had to go forward regardless of me being protected’, prompting Ms Ellsworth to say: ‘The restructure had to happen.’

Mrs Larkin is claiming unfair dismissal and pregnancy discrimination.

(Proceeding)