Beware of saying that maternity leave is like a holiday or that women essentially have it easy because they get to take it.  Susanne Rice, a former Operations Manager with Flint Studios, brought a Tribunal claim for sex and age discrimination against it with the support of The Equality Commission.  She has now settled it (without admission of liability) for £15,000. She alleged the following: Shortly after disclosing the fact that she was pregnant, older male colleagues started to bully and humiliate her. She shielded during the pandemic, as advised by her GP.  She was excluded from e-mails and meetings, preventing her from carrying out her job to the best of her ability.  A senior male employee described maternity leave as being “like an extended holiday” and that “women have the life of it on maternity leave”.  She raised grievances, which were not upheld, including on appeal.  Within a short period, she was made “redundant”.  The treatment she received severely affected her health and her family’s finances.  You can read more about this story at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/maternity-leave-woman-payout-b2087904.html.