One Chinese company is planning to institute a policy that would require female employees to get prior approval before attempting to conceive a child or face a fine.
“Only married female workers who have worked for the company for more than one year can apply for a place on the birth planning schedule,” read a circular from a credit cooperative in Jiaozuo.
“The employee must strictly stick to the birth plan once it is approved,” it added. “Those who get pregnant in violation of the plan such that their work is affected will be fined 1,000 yuan ($161),” it said.
A Chinese news outlet The Paper got a hold of a screen shot of the policy document.
According to the policy, violators will not be considered for promotion or awards and their incentives and year-end bonuses will be cancelled “if their pregnancy severely hindered their work”, the policy said.
A representative for the lending company confirmed that the firm sent the notice to its staff, but said it was only a draft and the company was seeking employees’ comment.
The circular’s publication triggered a firestorm of criticism in the Chinese media.
A state-run outlet China Youth Daily said the company “does not regard its employees as living human beings, instead it treats them as working tools on the production line”.
The firm recently hired a lot of young women and it is believed it is worried they will all go on maternity leave at the same time.
H/t The Scotsman