Citibank Pays £215,000 to Settle Maternity Discrimination Case

Citibank has paid £215,000 to settle a sex discrimination case brought by a former employee in Belfast who claimed she was denied a promotion while on maternity leave.

Maeve Bradley, who worked as an Assistant Vice President at the bank, brought the case after returning from maternity leave to find that the person covering her role had been promoted to the position she had been told would be hers. Instead, she was offered a different post outside her area of expertise — prompting her to lodge a formal grievance that was ultimately not upheld.

Bradley took her complaint to a tribunal with support from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. The case was settled out of court, with Citibank agreeing to pay £215,000. The bank did not admit liability.

A Wake-Up Call on Workplace Equality

The case has sparked renewed attention to the treatment of women returning from maternity leave and the need for employers to follow clear and fair procedures around promotion and role allocation.

Geraldine McGahey, Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, said:

“It is unacceptable for a woman’s career prospects to be negatively impacted because she is pregnant or takes maternity leave. These protections have been enshrined in law for nearly 50 years — yet complaints about pregnancy and maternity discrimination still make up a quarter of the cases we deal with each year.”

The Commission said employers must ensure fair treatment throughout the maternity cycle, including when decisions are made about career progression. This includes avoiding assumptions about a woman’s commitment or availability simply because she has caring responsibilities.

Citibank Responds

In a statement, a spokesperson for Citibank said:

“We were keen to retain Ms Bradley as an employee at Citi and are disappointed that we were unable to reach an agreement on her return to work. At Citi, we strive to foster an inclusive workplace.”

The case serves as a stark reminder to all employers that legal obligations around maternity and parental leave must be upheld, not only to protect individual rights but to promote a culture of respect and retention.

For working parents — and women in particular — it also raises critical questions about the extent to which workplace practices genuinely support a return to meaningful work after leave.