填空题 Despite all the progress towards job equality, women are still being victimized and discriminated (1) in the workplace. In the (2) year the Equal Opportunities Commission has helped 1 800 people (3) pregnancy and maternity issues -and this is only a (4) of the true number, "We know that those (5) contact us are likely to be just the (6) of an iceberg," says EOC chairman Julie Mellor.
Unscrupulous bosses try to avoid their legal (7) by giving a pregnant employee the cold (8) , telling her the job won't be there (9) she has had the baby or claiming ignorance of the law.
"It's vital to get to know (10) your legal rights are", says Sharon Sawyer, who won a sex discrimination (11) against stockbrokers Robson Cottrell and was awarded 10 000 (12) "If you don't know, then people can walk all over you".
Sharon had worked as a contracts and checking clerk for nine years (13) she became pregnant. She says, "1 told them I was pregnant at three months and immediately began to (14) rube and offensive comments from one of the directors."
"When I asked him about rights, I was told the company didn't recognise maternity leave. Throughout my (15) it continued. I'd go home in tears."
Two weeks before giving birth to daughter Lydia, Sharon left work, hoping to return but unsure if she was able to. Her husband Stephen had written to the EOC, (16) told her she had a case. It was eventually decided by a tribunal.
"It was tough, but I would go (17) it all again," says Sharon. "They really thought they had done nothing wrong, and said it was up (18) them to run the company (19) they saw fit, (20) any regard for people's rights./