'City worker told to lie about daughter on CV'
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A city high-flyer, who claims she was sacked from her job while on maternity leave, was told to lie about having a daughter on her CV if she wanted to find work, an employment tribunal heard today.
A city high-flyer, who claims she was sacked from her job while on maternity leave, was told to lie about having a daughter on her CV if she wanted to find work, an employment tribunal heard today.
Diane Winship, 35, fought back tears as she recalled a Jobcentre interview in which she was told that 16-month-old Gabriella was ruining her chances.
After a successful 16-year career Ms Winship hit rock bottom after being sacked as a £70,000 a year financial controller with the US Fund Management firm Goldenberg Hehmeyer & Co in September.
In June she wrote to six big banks in London's Canary Wharf looking for temporary work. Only three bothered to reply with rejections.
Unhappily she booked an interview to get job seekers allowance after her frantic attempts to find work failed. She was suffering from stress, panic attacks and plunging confidence. Money was running out and her marriage was under strain.
"They (the Jobcentre) told me something that shocked me, which I still cannot get over, I was to delete the line that I had a child on my CV as it could be a cause of not getting work," she told the Employment Tribunal in Central London.
"This really upset me. I am so proud of my daughter and yet she could be stopping me from getting work so I have now deleted her existence from my CV."
Last month Ms Winship began receiving £56 a week Jobseeker's Allowance which will last until January 2005.
Under cross examination she spoke of her horror that being a working mum could be frowned upon.
She said: "It never occurred to me that it could be a problem until recently when the job centre mentioned it.
"I'm hoping that now I have removed it, though unfortunately a lot of people have got my CV with that information, they will now offer me a job because they think I do not have a child."
Ms Winship, of Island Gardens, east London, is alleging sex discrimination and unfair dismissal against Goldenberg Hehmeyer who are strongly denying her claim.
She went on leave from the company in April last year and gave birth two weeks later.
Ms Winship claims that just three months later her boss Ralph Goldenberg demanded she work full-time on her return and gave her a two week deadline to decide her future.
But in August, according to Ms Winship, the company told her that her complaints to colleagues about the broken promise was damaging the company.
While on maternity leave the firm continued to send work to her home but she began to slip into depression and was unable to complete it. She was told that she would face disciplinary charges and was sacked in September, the tribunal was told.
With her voice breaking Ms Winship described herself as "an enthusiastic worker" whose confidence had been shattered by her inability to earn a living.
She told the hearing she was once a "bubbly, happy person" who enjoyed life and now even her relationship with husband Chris was in difficulties.
She told the tribunal: "I always wanted to work part-time allowing me to continue to use my work ability as well as spend some valuable time as a mother.
"I still find it difficult to accept how this has all turned out and it continually gets me down.
"I have a husband who frequently reminds me how miserable I am and this has caused big problems in our marriage.
"Not a day goes by where I have not thought about the whole situation and how upsetting it has been. I really hope once this case is finalised I can continue as my old self as I was such a bubbly and happy person and hopefully my marriage can get back to normal."
Ms Winship, who joined the firm as accounts manager in August 1999, said she had felt intimidated and wracked with anxiety because of the way her dismissal was handled.
She could not think straight or speak properly. Often she would break down in tears as a stack of legal letters were delivered to her home.
"I remember holding my daughter Gabriella for hours in her bedroom, sitting in the rocking chair just crying," she said.
"From that night I started to have trouble sleeping and my anxiety attacks started.
"It got worse as the days continued and I started to be very miserable at home.
"I tried to continue with my life and get about in the day instead of festering at home, but I remember being around a lot of people in public places started to frighten me."