In a Facebook post dated January 18, 2024, user Charissa Tan detailed what she claims to be an unjust termination from her employment at a Singapore company due to her pregnancy, as reported by AsiaOne.
Tan alleges that she was terminated under the pretext of poor performance, citing her health condition, job performance, and alleged subpar body posture at work.
According to Tan, she had been on unpaid leave due to COVID-19 and was still within her probation period when she informed her manager about her pregnancy on January 16, 2024. The following day, she was allegedly terminated, with the HR representative listing her health condition, job performance, and posture as reasons for her dismissal.
“Is it wrong to be pregnant? Is it a crime to be a woman?”
Tan disputes the reasons provided for her termination, presenting her perspective on the alleged incidents. Firstly, she claims to have taken unpaid leave due to COVID-19 and presented evidence of her fever. She also argues that her job performance, according to her direct manager, was satisfactory, as she managed to clear her backlog within two days after recovering from illness.
Addressing the claim of poor body posture, Tan explains that she was feeling unwell at work and rested her head on the table during lunch, which was later corrected. She acknowledges doing so during lunch hours for the past few days but disputes any serious performance issues.
Tan contends that her HR representative served her the termination letter without a detailed explanation, prompting her to contact her manager for clarification. Her manager allegedly informed her that the bosses had a meeting regarding her pregnancy and decided on termination, a decision of which the manager was not initially aware.
“I can’t believe such reputable company can do such things to their own employee”
Expressing her disbelief, Tan questions the ethics of a reputable company for terminating her without prior notice and only after discovering her pregnancy. She claims she was not informed or given any notice regarding her work performance during her tenure at the company.
Tan reveals that she informed her manager about her pregnancy with the intention of continuing to work to support her family’s financial needs. However, she asserts that her admission resulted in an immediate termination, leaving her family’s financial stability hanging by a thread.
Expressing her distress, Tan questions the morality of penalizing a woman for getting pregnant and speculates about potential gender-based discrimination in the workplace. She contends that securing a permanent job during pregnancy is nearly impossible, exacerbating the challenges she faces.
Company Responds
In response to the serious allegations raised by Ms. Charissa Tan on Facebook regarding her termination and accusations of discrimination due to her pregnancy, the company issued a statement in response to the matter via a comment on her post.
The company acknowledged the gravity of the allegations and assured the public that they take a firm stance against any form of discriminatory employment practices. They stated their commitment to conducting a thorough investigation into the matter to ascertain the facts surrounding Ms. Tan’s claims.
While expressing their dedication to fair employment practices, the company also addressed the issue of spurious allegations. They asserted that they view any unwarranted accusations against their organization with disapproval.
In case of such allegations, the company declared its intent to vigorously pursue its rights and remedies to the fullest extent of the law.
Further Exchanges Between The Parties
Images source: Charissa Tan on Facebook