A company secretary claimed her firm was unaware an office worker's baby had died days before she was sacked.

Danielle Pellett, an administration clerk, was dismissed for being absent from office equipment company William Peters and Sons, in Lewes, five days after giving birth to a stillborn child.

Ms Pellett, 22, of Chyngton Road, Seaford, is claiming compensation at an employment tribunal for sexual discrimination and unfair dismissal.

The family-run firm denies treating her unfairly.

It says Ms Pellett had a history of frequent absences from work and when managers made the decision to dismiss her in March last year they had no knowledge she was off work because of the death of her baby, who was born four months premature.

Company secretary Carol Peters told the Brighton hearing she had repeatedly discussed the problem of Ms Pellett's absence record.

When she failed to turn up for work without warning it caused difficulties for work colleagues and there were concerns the business would suffer if customers were let down.

The company could not contact her because Ms Pellett had failed to provide a home or mobile phone number.

Miss Peters said Miss Pellett had several warnings before the decision was made to dismiss her, including a final written warning in December 2000.

When Ms Pellett went home early complaining of leg pains the company did not connect her health concerns with her pregnancy and had no idea she had given birth to a stillborn child the next day.

When she failed to return to work a letter of dismissal was sent to her.

Miss Peters said: "The dismissal might have been avoided had Ms Pellett, her partner or relation informed the company as to the reasons for her absence. It was not a decision we took lightly."

The case had been adjourned from an earlier hearing in February when Ms Pellett broke down in tears as she told the tribunal of her distress at losing her job just after losing her son, Oliver.

Ms Pellett, who had an earlier miscarriage in February 2000, told the hearing: "Being dismissed after losing my baby caused me immense distress added to the obvious distress caused by the loss of my child."

She denied failing to keep the company informed of when and why she was ill.

The hearing continues.