Pregnant and discriminated at work!

[jojoki]

Just want to know if anyone knows where can i get help from if I am being discriminated at work for being pregnant? I am malaysian married to singaporean. Been in singapore for coming 9 years. Never bothered to apply for PR and thus was always holding on to work permit. As my wp expiry approached, I found out i was pregnant and my company forced me to take a pay cut ( initially 1k negotiated to $600 now) or they wont renew my wp. And they even had the cheeks to tell me if I did not accept their offer what am I going to do being pregnant.. I wont be able to get another job. To top that up, they claim that this has got nothing to do with my pregnancy and it was due to me being a poor performer. However no appraisal was done to state that I was doing poorly prior to my informing them I was pregnant. Before I told them of my pregnancy, they had already passsed me all the documents to renew my work permit, no mentions of me not performing or pay cut. However as I before I went for my x-ray (fr wp renewal) I found out I was pregnant and everything took a 360 degree turn. NOT only did they insult me by framing that I performed badly (I was a store manager, my P&L has been + ever since I took over the store, cogs was high before and balance, I also caught two my asst mgr who were pilferaging heavily (in thousands) )

I've gone to MOM but they couldnt help as my basic was above 1.6k and I am appalled that there was nothing singapore law could do to protect a pregnant employee who is obviously so unfairly treated.

Now, I am suffering a demotion with a paycut, and as if not enough, my company is has transferred me to another store three weeks ago and now transferring me again to another store. I'm coming to my 8th month and they are deliberately making it difficult for me by transferring me around. And this new store operated up to 11pm which is obviously way too late for a pregnant woman!!

Can anyone please help... this company really sucks and I am so shocked that such things can happen in a relatively established company like mine.

Theres so much more distress they are causing me but too long to write all down here... For the sake of my baby I try to tolerate but the are just too much!

Anyone can refer any help to me will be really appreciated!!

 

[jojoki]

oops sorry for all the typo errors and grammar mistakes.. was on fire while typing away. and I forgot to mention that in my superiors private conversation, my operations manager (which is mainly the bastard who made all the decisions for all my sufferings) told my immediate superior that I being the overweight type will have a lot of health problems in my pregnancy. THAT WAS SO DISCRIMINATING!! and much to his disappointment, I have yet to gain much weight (2kg as of now) and had never even fallen sick one single day throughout my 30 weeks pregnancy so far. I have no backache, swollen feet, back pain, or lethargy up to this point ( I am soo blessed, thank you God) I've also not taken more than 5 days mc in my 2 years working with this screwed company!

 

[applebreeze]

OMG jojoki, will you be able go directly up to higher superiors to report this matter?
How can they discriminate a pregnant lady like you morever you are alrdy 8mths.
If after bringing this matter to higher superiors, there's still no use, do you think you can still stay in this kinda company? If i were you, i would jus resign, rest at home, enjoy being tai tai whle waiting for the birth of my baby. Did you tell your husband about it? What did he say? And perhaps you should be thinking of getting a PR status alrdy since things will be easier when you are a PR here. My guess is that because you are regarded as under work permit that's why they treat you unfairly.

Hope my suggestions may be of help to you. God Bless You.

 

[jojoki]

I plan to quit right after i finish my maternity leave.. if i quit now than they will be popping champagne. save them my 4 months maternity leave pay.. i'm wont succumb under their pressure lor! My husband feels angry for me but what can he do? we are financially not very well to do.. so we both need to work to keep things going.. installments, insurance, bills, etc. Esp now with a kid coming.. and me being diabetic means more $$ on medical. I'll be applying for PR soon.. no choice liao as I plan to quit after leave.

I personally believe in what goes around comes around.. and God will surely dealy with ppl like him, them. But at the rate they are going... like making me do inventory alone.. (put my on schedule alone.. on inventory day when i was 7 mths) and what expect me to climb up n down alone to count stock?? they seem like purposely making things difficult for me... I dont now when they will stop .. issit when i get so stress and have a miscarriage then they will stop so that they dun have to pay a single day maternity leave? I cant believe such evil ppl exist.

UNtil then i try to stay clear headed and see what legal and legitimate ways I can take to protect myself.

 

[wawa]

Is sad to hear there are such employers around. I remembered seeing in the news not long ago that a lady actually sue her ex-company for sacking her during her maternity and trying to claim her remaining pay back since she is also having more than 1.6k. Can do a search for you if I can find the news or not. In the end, MOM try to be middleman to nego with the company as it was on the news.

I think you are only eligible for 8 weeks maternity leave since you are a foreigner, I'm not sure if I'm wrong or not. My colleague who is from Philippines only had 8 weeks, she is not entitled to 16 weeks.

Got this from MOM website:

Eligibility of Extended Maternity Leave for a foreigner or PR working in Singapore

The employee is entitled to maternity leave benefit if she is covered under the Employment Act, , regardless of her nationality. She will be paid for the first 8 weeks of maternity leave if she has fewer than 2 living children (excluding the newborn), and she has worked for the employer for at least 90 days before the birth of the child. Beyond the first 8 weeks, maternity payment from the employer is voluntary and the employer is not entitled to claim any reimbursement from the government.

From the way your company is treating you, I doubt they will want to pay the rest of maternity leave.

 

[jojoki]

actually i'm gettin 4 months maternity leave thats y they are so hard on me. bcos my child will be singaporean... (cos hubby singaporean) thts y I'm entitled to 4 mths.. depending on the child, if singaporean 4 months, if non-singaporeans only 2 months. Acutally i also dunno y they like so screwed bcos.. 2 months is subsidized by goverment ma not them wat.

Partially the reason why he is out to "fix" me is i feel is is very personal bcos I've got evidence of my opts manager incompetency in operations. THt one also another very long story... from that day I confronted him.. i felt he was all the way out to make things difficult for me...

 

[daberdew]

Sad to hear about your plight. Guess at the moment, you have not much choice but to grit your teeth and go thru it as you are already 8 to 9 mths pregnant. Hate these kind of employers.

Ganbatte ne!

 

[shopaholic]

Poor you, having to go through this while being heavily pregnant. I know some employers are still not so forthcoming with maternity leave. Although the last 2 mths are subsidised by govt, in some cases, they still hv to get someone to cover the employee's duty during her absence. Just to share, my ex-company had to spend a substantial amount to engage someone qualified to cover my duty when I went on maternity leave. In fact, I felt bad that they had to pay for my maternity and at the same time, spent so much to engage someone. Thankfully, my ex-boss was supportive and I didnt feel discriminated.

Since you hv plans to quit after your maternity, just grit your teeth and bear with it during this period. If they terminate your service at this time, they still hv to pay for your maternity leave. My revenge would be, if they still make things difficult for you, take some MC!!!

 

[jojoki]

thts wat i said to myself take mc.. and its just not me to take mc before at then end i incovenient my colleague and not my company.. and if honestly fall sick its a different story even if its minor sickness but unfortunately (or fortunately) i've yet to felt even a bit sick at all..only some cramps every now then as of last week.

Any idea if i can quit during maternity leave? or when can quit asap?

 

[CanCanMum]

thts wat i said to myself take mc.. and its just not me to take mc before at then end i incovenient my colleague and not my company.. and if honestly fall sick its a different story even if its minor sickness but unfortunately (or fortunately) i've yet to felt even a bit sick at all..only some cramps every now then as of last week.

Any idea if i can quit during maternity leave? or when can quit asap?

if u quit now may not be entitled to paid maternity leave already....u can only quit after ML coz once u resigned will be considered not under their obligation.

 

[Catty]

Hi Jojoki,

Am really sad to know that your company treated you in this way, maybe is right to quit after u finish your maternity leave, there's always a better company and colleague out there, hope everything goes smoothly for you..

Meanwhile during your maternity leave, you can slowly go through web or newspaper to find other jobs.. Wish you all the best..

 

[wawa]

I felt confusing about the t&c at MOM website. =p

You can't tender resignation during your 4 months maternity leave, you can only submit it after your leave finish, Actually I intend to submit mine in November previously before I was pregnant, wanted to take care of my kids full time due to my son was suspect with autism and he wasn't able to catch up with his school at all. But realise I am pregnant and EDD in June so I guess it's fate? I check up at MOM website and realise I can only quit after maternity leave. Intending to clear all my annual leave and get unpaid leave till end of the mth. Maybe you can do the same as well.

 

[jojoki]

as long as i can tender my resignation on the very day tht i return from maternity leave that would be good enough as I would probably need to work at most one week as I've yet to touch a single day of my annual leave from 2008.

BUt its really SAD that I cant do anything against them for all the injustice they did to me!!

 

[pkshl]

Me also thinking of quiting after my maternity leave but *touchwood*if im being asked to leave b4 CNY, i guess im just suay, & maybe my company wants to get rid of some pregnant women(currently there r 3 pregnant women in the company now). lately my head of dept(HOD) seems to treat me coldly ever since she knows im pregnant. we had good working relationship but she suddendly 360deg change in her attitude towards me. she can talk nicely & chat with my other colleague who is just sitting nxt to me & ignore me totally & its so obvious that she will 'order' me around in a rude tone but nicely asked my colleague to do things, so polite to her but rude to me. im already mentally prepared just in case they asked me to leave b4 CNY since now economic in recession, just the time to 'get rid' of some staff, especially pregnant women.

just wondering, if my company really ask me to leave, can i file a complaint against them? im not sure how to go abt it?

 

[CanCanMum]

u can approach MOM, they have counselling sessions there as well. The officer is v helpful and patient and will help u contact your employer to deal with the matter.

but be prepared to wait at least 1 hour.

I lodged a complaint before to them coz my previous employer din pay my salary after i resigned....hahahhaha.....to try the procedure.....kkekekekek

 

[pkshl]

u can approach MOM, they have counselling sessions there as well. The officer is v helpful and patient and will help u contact your employer to deal with the matter.

but be prepared to wait at least 1 hour.

I lodged a complaint before to them coz my previous employer din pay my salary after i resigned....hahahhaha.....to try the procedure.....kkekekekek

but what if they paid my salary, can i still complain against them since they ask me to leave when im pregnant? (i mean, just in case im being asked to leave)

 

[CanCanMum]

yes u can, coz in labour law employers are not sup to dismiss wo valid reasons a pregnant lady or during ML.

 

[jumBobo]

Me also thinking of quiting after my maternity leave but *touchwood*if im being asked to leave b4 CNY, i guess im just suay, & maybe my company wants to get rid of some pregnant women(currently there r 3 pregnant women in the company now). lately my head of dept(HOD) seems to treat me coldly ever since she knows im pregnant. we had good working relationship but she suddendly 360deg change in her attitude towards me. she can talk nicely & chat with my other colleague who is just sitting nxt to me & ignore me totally & its so obvious that she will 'order' me around in a rude tone but nicely asked my colleague to do things, so polite to her but rude to me. im already mentally prepared just in case they asked me to leave b4 CNY since now economic in recession, just the time to 'get rid' of some staff, especially pregnant women.

just wondering, if my company really ask me to leave, can i file a complaint against them? im not sure how to go abt it?

actually i tink if the company use retrenchment as a reason...redundency or whatever.. it's ok to 'get rid' of pregnant staff that way de. but if the pregnant staff is 5 mths preggy le.. the company is liable to pay the 2 mths' maternity (although already retrenching le).

some companies.. even the pregnant woman more than 5 mths le..they rather pay the additional 2 mths pay to them.. (tink prolly really big crisis la.)

nw.. i oso worried myself! juz got retrenched in sep..n started out this new job since nov.. juz found that i'm expecting.. DUNO HW TO TELL BOSS! probation is 6mths..nw oni 2mths old here niah! sighz!

 

[pkshl]

sign..im really worried abt my job now. earlier my colleague was late, & my HOD asked me did she call, i said no. then i said but her husband just called. & for no reason, my HOD said in a rude tone to me- people are loving, what i know?!

i was speechless lor. i was tinkin is she mad? i also never say anything..

 

[CanCanMum]

sign..im really worried abt my job now. earlier my colleague was late, & my HOD asked me did she call, i said no. then i said but her husband just called. & for no reason, my HOD said in a rude tone to me- people are loving, what i know?!

i was speechless lor. i was tinkin is she mad? i also never say anything..

pkshl dear,

yeah...maybe PMS??? Last time i had a woman superior oso...sometimes face black to me sometimes can joke with me.....temperamental....

dun worry too much about the unknown...we canx control it oso...but the uncertainty sure makes us feel uncomfortable....at the moment just do your job as per normal so that she canx pick on you on the official stuff, these personal stuff just bear with it for the moment. Woman superiors are like tat....esp at this time.....