by Julie Harding

A Bristol recruitment consultant is taking her former boss to a tribunal, after claiming she was forced out of the job she loved because she wanted to work part-time after taking maternity leave.

Emma Archer, who has had two babies, gave evidence yesterday at the industrial tribunal where she said her former employers Cavendish Maine, had discriminated against her because she is a woman.

She said the final straw came when she overheard her boss running her down and describing her as "a pain in the neck".

Mrs Archer, who is married to ex-Bristol Rovers player Lee Archer, is claiming sex discrimination, unfair dismissal and discrimination for asserting maternity rights.

If the Bristol tribunal panel rules that she was discriminated against on the grounds of gender there is no limit on the amount of compensation that can be awarded.

Mrs Archer, of Blackcurrant Drive, Long Ashton, also claims that she was not given a contract and that Clifton-based Cavendish Maine was in breach of contract.

She told the industrial tribunal that she was one of the firm's top sales people and loved her job, which she had held since 2002.

She went on maternity leave in January 2005 and, after having her daughter Ava, returned to work three days a week in January 2006.

In September that year she took a second period of maternity leave, returning in October 2007.

Mrs Archer recruited people for the food service industry but in her absence no one covered for her.

She said this contrasted with other women who took shorter periods of maternity leave whose jobs were covered in their absence.

Six weeks after she returned to work she was called in for a chat with boss Nick Hester about how she was getting on and in December, at another meeting, was told she was being considered for redundancy. Mrs Archer told the tribunal: "I was singled out for redundancy because I work part-time. There was no other reason.

"I knew I was one of the best sales people there. I had a lot more experience than staff who had just joined."

Mrs Archer challenged the redundancy and she claimed she was told her job was safe.

But she said she was excluded from meetings and generally made to feel unwelcome.

The final straw came on December 21 last year when the firm's AGM was held at Hunstrete House hotel near Bristol.

In the coach on the return journey Mrs Archer sat in a seat in front of Mr Hester who, she claimed, was drunk and unaware that she was nearby.

She said he was talking about her on his mobile phone in a "horrible way". She said: "He was talking about getting rid of me. He said 'I was watching her, I saw her give Howard filthy looks.. it's disgusting. She's a pain in the neck.

"Let's hope she goes. The sooner the better."

Mrs Archer quit her job saying she had been treated in a "subversive, unreasonable and discriminatory" way.

Cavendish Maine denies that it discriminated against Mrs Maine in any way.

Nick Hester and other staff were due to give evidence at the Bristol tribunal on Thursday.