The Equality Commission in Northern Ireland has claimed that pregnant women are being forced out of their jobs as part of the worst alleged gender discrimination.
Chief Executive Evelyn Collins said it was outrageous that the occasion of International Women's Day was being marked by women still being penalised in the workplace because they are pregnant.
The commission warned firms that it was illegal to discriminate against women on pregnancy grounds and revealed that between April 2005 and February 2007 the commission received 1,782 inquiries or complaints on gender-related cases.
It said 230 cases or 13% of these were on pregnancy or maternity-related issues.
