"Criminals" under the law
My boyfriend, a common IT worker in the Network field, gets a lot to complain lately. Due to the recession, he does not have much to do at work and feels empty most time. I feel sorry for what he has been through until after I read this news, I was shocked. Pregnant women are the first to be laid off during economic crises??!!!( according to a study by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and figures released separately by the Israel Women's Network and the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry's Equal Opportunities Employment Commission) What? How could this be happening?
On this International women’s day, at this happy moment when our HR department is passing out gifts to all the female workers in the company, I am told that more than 50 percent of employers who fired pregnant staff over the past few months did not follow the legal channels. I completely agree with this new term “criminals” under the law. “According to the Women's Law of 1954, any employer who wants to dismiss a pregnant woman must first present the case to the ministry for it to decide if the intended redundancy is fair - e.g. if the company is struggling financially - or if is discrimination based on the woman's condition.” But let’s see what has happened in the past three months. “The Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry's Equal Opportunities Employment Commission reported days ago that 29% of calls to its report center claimed unfair dismissal on the grounds of being pregnant.” This is absolutely gender discrimination. Why are women always the last person to be hired, but the first person to be fired, especially, during the economic recession? While men seem always well protected and stable?
I hear that women in the developing countries are facing poverty caused by economic recession blowing out of proportions. Lacking of work opportunities and immense poverty, some women are forced to enter into prostitution and white slavery. Nevertheless, here in the United States, one of the world powers, we are cutting off pregnant women to reduce expenditure. Are we really here already?!!! What are we doing? “Women bring home about one-third of family income” said Carolyn Maloney, Democrat of New York and vice chairman of the Joint Economic Committee. We shouldn’t be treated this way though a recession may not be inevitable.
Women are still the vulnerable groups in society which has been proved once again. What should we do to get out of this situation or at least take better care of ourselves? It’s nice for our government to open a hot line ((02) 666-2780) to help those unfairly treated pregnant women. But what else can we do? To improve our skill set? To watch our attitude? Or to always go beyond what we have been told to do at work? …. Will all of these actually work? What do you suggest, eggxperts? Have you also been affected amid recession? What or how have you been doing to keep your job? Oh, poor pregnant women, I feel so bad for what you have been through now, not for my boyfriend anymore, ha-ha… Hopefully, things will get better under the support of the government.