Pregnancy Discrimination in the Malaysian Workplace

Malaysian women’s rights have improved, yet pregnancy discrimination in the workplace still needs to be addressed.

What is pregnancy discrimination?

Pregnancy discrimination is when you are mistreated because you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have just given birth.

The Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) said that more than 40% of working women experienced pregnancy discrimination.

This problem may cause you to lose a promotion, have a more extended probation period, and, worse, lose your job.

In January 2023, The Employment Act increased maternity leave from 60 to 98 days.

Malaysian Women’s Development Organisation president, Ng Geok Chee, said some employers sought to reduce their recruitment of women due to this amendment.

Does the Federal Constitution protect against pregnancy discrimination?

On 21 March 2022, the Dewan Rakyat approved the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2021. This aims to strengthen workers’ protection against discrimination and ensure their well-being.

Amendments to the Act also prohibit the termination of pregnant female employees or suffering from illness arising out of their pregnancy.

Steps to take when facing pregnancy discrimination

You can use your company’s internal procedures to complain about unfair treatment related to pregnancy. You can do this by filing a complaint anonymously or discussing openly with the appropriate Human Resources employees.

Your complaint will be confidential, and you will not face retaliation. If someone saw the exchange, you can utilize that individual as a witness.

Also, the company will have to look into the complaint in a fair amount of time. If the company does not take action, you may submit a complaint to the Malaysia Labor Department

If you are looking to make a career move for better perks, find your dream job on Jobstore.com, download our free mobile app today.

Related Article: How Long Should Your Maternity Leave Be?

---

Anisa is a writer who focuses on career and lifestyle topics in an effort to motivate both job searchers and employers towards greater fulfillment in their professional lives.

Reach me at anisa@jobstore.com.