An employment tribunal has ordered Purplebricks to pay former estate agent Murron Stewart more than £47,000. The tribunal concluded that Purplebricks had constructively and unfairly dismissed the 27-year-old.
Stewart also successfully brought discrimination claims related to pregnancy, maternity, and/or sex. The tribunal heard that her line manager disclosed her pregnancy to colleagues, and she later experienced pregnancy-related health problems.
After returning from maternity leave in December 2024, Stewart found her role had changed. She reduced her hours in January 2025 due to childcare, after which Purplebricks raised concerns about her performance and workload, questioning if part-time work met the role's requirements.
Employment judge Amanda Jones stated that Purplebricks directly discriminated against Stewart because she had been on maternity leave and/or her sex. This involved unreasonable performance criticism and targets not adjusted for her part-time hours or referral levels.
The total award to Stewart is £47,323.73, which includes £27,626.73, £18,647 for injury to feelings, and a £1,050 basic award.
A spokesperson for Purplebricks stated that the judgment relates to a dissolved company no longer operating the Purplebricks business. They added that the current Purplebricks business was not a party to the proceedings and is reviewing the circumstances.