Shocking! This Company Fired A Woman Just Because She Asked For Maternity Leave
At times, when are we talking about extending maternity leave and also, discussing the option of paternity leave, this Indian company, which is only concerned about making profits, is so insensitive that it has denied to give maternity leave to its pregnant female employee.
Radhika Gupta, 28, was working with Radius Synergies International Pvt. Ltd, Noida since two years. She was working as Assistant manager in Human Resource department. Things were going pretty well until she sought for ‘Maternity leave’ from her employer.
Due to certain complications in her pregnancy, she had to ask for her maternity leave a little earlier than the prescribed date.
This is what Radhika had written to her HR!
Now, do you know what her company did to her? You would be shocked to know what reply she got from the HR. Not only that she was denied maternity leave, but also forced to resign from the company, isn’t that cruel?
Radhika told TYNews, “I am only the HR in the company. I directly report to the Director. Initially, I had a verbal conversation about the maternity leave and it was fine. But, when the time came, and I applied for the leave, it was denied.” Radhika also said that she requested to shift her base in office from the second floor to ground floor. Even that was denied. She was met with such insensitivity at the workplace when she was needed to support the most.
According to her, her employer told her that they can’t afford an employee on leave for long. After she refused to resign, she was sent an official termination letter under 45 mins as a reply to her mail.
Have a look at the company’s reply!
“Please refer to the Letter of Employment containing the terms and conditions governing the relationship of yours with the Company. You would appreciate that parties are bound to adhere to the terms and are furthur expected to derive their respective rights and obligation from the contract. In this regard, your attention is drawn to the clause, relating to termination or resignation, as the case may be, which reads, as under:-
“Upon Company giving you Thirty (30) days notice of termination for any reason, with or without cause; Company may, in its sole discretion, terminate your employment immediately by paying your basic monthly salary in lieu of giving you such notice.”
In view of the same, your services are hereby terminated forthwith. Please find enclosed here with cheque, as and by way of salary, for the notice period. Needless to say, your full and final account will be settled subject to completion of formalities, including handing over properties of the Company, by you.
The Management wishes to the best of luck in your all future endeavor.”
Despite all the odds against her, Radhika didn’t give up. She wrote a letter to Ministry of women and Child Development and PMO telling her situation and the injustice that happened to her. The WCD Ministry has taken cognizance of her complaint and is currently probing the matter.
Watch the Video here:
If you aren’t aware, all women employees do get 12 weeks maternity leave under Maternity Act 1961. Now as per the Act’s section 21, if the employer doesn’t grant the leave for the mentioned period, he would be punished and imprisoned.