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Last week, a Malaysian teacher won MYR40,000 ($13,498) in damages for losing an employment contract after the education officer found out she was three months’ pregnant.
The mother of four had filed the suit on 7 May 2010 after the offer for a position as untrained relief teacher was withdrawn hastily after she informed the district education office about her pregnancy.
Such discriminatory hiring practices are illegal in Malaysia, reported The Star.
In 23 November 2016 the court had maintained MYR30,000 in damages for breach of constitutional right and MYR10,000 for pain and suffering. An additional MYR10,000 was awarded as “costs”.
However last week, the accused including education officers and Ministry of Education director-general Dr Zahri Aziz won an appeal to remove the MYR10,000 damages for pain and suffering, thereby dropping the amount from MYR50,000 to MYR40,000.
The panel that represented the teacher was unable to answer three questions of law relating to damages on breach of constitutional right which the court had earlier allowed.
In Singapore, relief or temporary contract teachers are entitled to the country’s statutory leave benefits including maternity leave, according to the Ministry of Education.
Spouses of pregnant teachers may also be eligible for the shared parental leave scheme, where teachers may choose to share their four months’ maternity leave with their partners.
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