10. Bullying, harassment, discrimination and racism
• Discrimination by perception: treating someone unfairly because you think they have a protected characteristic( even if they do not).
• Discrimination by association: treating someone unfairly because they are linked to someone with a protected characteristic. For example, a worker may face hostility because their partner is from a different ethnic background.
The Protection from Harassment Act 1997, which was introduced to deal with stalking, can also apply to repeated unwanted behaviour causing distress, even if not linked to a protected characteristic.
Employers also have duties under health and safety law to prevent foreseeable harm, including psychological harm from bullying and harassment.
“ Agency staff, especially migrants, are treated as disposable. They’ re excluded, blamed, and not backed up.” – Care worker and rep
Pregnancy and maternity discrimination
Pregnant workers are particularly vulnerable. Cases of workers facing dismissal or loss of sponsorship once they become pregnant are depressingly common. Often without the woman in question knowing it has happened, a decision by an employer not to renew a Certificate of Sponsorship can immediately leave a woman and her family without status.
Patterns reported by members In just four months in 2025, more than 30 cases were reported to UNISON. The majority involved employers withdrawing sponsorship, refusing to renew visas, or cutting shifts once a worker became pregnant or went on maternity leave. Common patterns include:
• Shift withdrawal – pregnant workers being given no shifts, or only unsuitable long-distance assignments.
• Refusal to renew visas – employers declining to extend sponsorship while a worker is pregnant or on maternity leave.
• Dismissal or suspension – women losing their jobs during or after maternity leave, often without explanation.
• Unsafe hours – refusal to reduce shifts or make adjustments despite medical advice, leaving women forced to choose between their health and their visa conditions.
• Bullying and harassment – pressure, intimidation and in some cases physical mistreatment, with dismissal or loss of sponsorship hanging in the background.
• Financial exploitation – demands for payment for sponsorship during maternity leave, with visas withdrawn when the worker could not pay.
56 LRD • Supporting migrant workers