From Redundancy to Revolution: How Losing My Job While Pregnant Set Me Free
It’s International Women’s Day—and yet, across Australia, working mothers are still being quietly pushed out of their jobs.
Every year, businesses flood LinkedIn with posts urging women to “believe in themselves” and “speak up.” But what happens when we do?
For me, the answer was clear: redundancy. Twice. Once for calling out workplace bullying. Again, while pregnant.
At the time, it felt like devastation. Now? I wouldn’t change a thing.
Because losing my job set me free.
I built The Wild Ones Agency, a business that proves success doesn’t have to come at the expense of fairness. A business that works for women, not against them.
The Reality for Working Mothers in Australia
The data doesn’t lie. Workplace discrimination against pregnant women and parents isn’t just an issue—it’s systemic:
🔹 89% of pregnant workers, 84.7% of those on parental leave, and 91.8% of returning parents report experiencing workplace discrimination.
🔹 22.4% of returning parents were made redundant or terminated.
🔹 45.1% of returning parents were given fewer career advancement opportunities.
🔹 25.4% of pregnant workers felt they had to hide their pregnancy for fear of professional consequences.
(Source: University of South Australia, 2024)
These aren’t just numbers—they’re real women, real careers, and real lives being quietly sidelined.
And it’s happening behind the very same doors that will be celebrating Women’s Day today.
What Needs to Change? Our Five-Point Plan
Legal protections for pregnancy & maternity leave – Companies should be required to prove redundancies during pregnancy or parental leave are legitimate.
Equal parental leave policies for fathers – When fathers take leave too, workplaces stop penalising mothers.
Return-to-Work guarantees – Women should never return from maternity leave to a lesser role or lower pay.
Real consequences for workplace discrimination – Stronger financial penalties for businesses that push mothers out.
Government incentives for businesses that champion women – Reward the companies that walk the talk with real policies.
We need a new way forward.
I lost a job.
I gained a mission.
And I’ve never been happier.
For every woman who has been told she’s ‘too much,’ ‘too difficult,’ or ‘too ambitious’—this is your sign.
You are not the problem. The system is.
And together? We’re rewriting the rules.
#IWD2025 #WomenInBusiness #PregnancyDiscrimination #TheWildOnesAgency
👉 Read the full feature on AdNews: [https://www.adnews.com.au/opinion/iwd-from-redundancy-to-revolution-how-losing-my-job-while-pregnant-set-me-free ]
👉 See the stats for yourself:[ unisa.edu.au]
and lots more here:
Australian Human Rights Commission Report (2014): This report highlights that 49% of mothers experienced discrimination in the workplace during pregnancy, during parental leave, or upon returning to work. Discriminatory actions ranged from negative attitudes to job loss. Notably, 32% of affected mothers resigned or sought other employment due to this discrimination.
humanrights.gov.au
Parliament of Australia Report (2017): According to this report, approximately 19% of women perceived discrimination during pregnancy, including missed promotions, lack of training opportunities, and unsolicited changes to job roles. The rate of perceived discrimination remained unchanged between 2011 and 2017.
aph.gov.au
Victoria Legal Aid Video (2022): This educational film reveals that 49% of women experience pregnancy or parental discrimination in the workplace. It emphasises the importance of understanding one's rights to maintain employment during and after pregnancy.
legalaid.vic.gov.au
The unexpected side-effect of pregnancy: discrimination | Victoria Legal Aid
Nordic countries have implemented progressive parental leave and gender equality policies that have positively impacted both women and corporations. Key outcomes include:
Increased Female Workforce Participation: Generous parental leave and childcare policies have enabled higher female employment rates. Nearly three out of four women in Nordic countries are employed, contributing significantly to economic growth.
weforum.org+2datafisher.com+2gu.se+2
Economic Growth: Advancements in gender equality have substantially boosted economic growth in the Nordic region.
Shared Parental Responsibilities: Policies encouraging fathers to take parental leave have promoted gender equality at home and in the workforce. norden.diva-portal.org
Corporate Gender Balance: Norway's quota law mandates at least 40% representation of each gender on corporate boards, increasing female board membership from 6% in 2002 to 42.5% in 2021. foreignpolicy.com