China Focus: Discrimination against pregnant woman riles netizens

A contract dispute involving a pregnant teacher in central China has sparked online outrage over job discrimination against women.

A female teacher with Shangbo Primary School in Shangqiu City, Henan Province, posted pictures of a contract she signed with the school on microblog Sina Weibo, according to a report carried this week by the Voice of China.

Weibo user "5838013387" claimed that the school refused her application for maternity leave. After she decided to leave, the school fined her 800 yuan for breaking the contract.

According to the contract, the school "guarantees rest and vacation for its teachers," but any female teacher who "interrupts class schedules" due to pregnancy or other reasons should pay 2,000 yuan (307 U.S. dollars) in compensation for recruiting and paying replacement teachers.

"Female teachers preparing to have babies should get pregnant in the second semester," reads the high-handed provision. "If they get pregnant in the first semester, causing them to stop working or resign, they should pay 2,000 yuan in total."

Liu Zhu, headmaster of the private school, said the restrictive measure aims to "prevent disturbances to general school schedules."

"We will not stop anyone from becoming pregnant as long as their pregnancies do not interfere with the school curriculum," Liu said.

He added that the contract is signed annually, and that none of the 30-plus female teachers demurred when they signed it.

The story has spurred a wave of heated online discussions, with many netizens accusing the school of breaking the law.

"It's ridiculous," wrote Weibo user "Yigexingqiba." "Under such provisions, who dares to have a second baby?"

"This is obviously against the law, the teacher should file a lawsuit," read another comment.

According to China's Labor Law, all women are entitled to maternity leave when they work within the stated period of a contract. The law on the protection of the rights of women and children also stipulates that labor contracts should not contain any items restricting female workers from getting married or getting pregnant.

Local authorities have launched an investigation into the case.

Though unlawful, job discrimination against women still pervades Chinese society.

According to a national survey by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), about 75 percent of women said they were fired after getting married or pregnant.

Wu Liqing, an employee in a private company in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, said most of her female friends and classmates have experienced job discrimination, although most of them have stayed silent due to heavy employment pressure.

"For us, mum's the word, even when our rights are abused," Wu said.

Hao Huafang, who has worked in a public institution for almost three years, said she still feels awkward whenever she recalls the job interview.

"The boss made it clear only those who will stay unmarried for three years will be recruited," she said. "At that time most candidates were about 26. If we wait another three years, we would be near 30. Hello? No one wants to be a leftover woman in China!" But she gave in eventually and was subsequently recruited.

With the lifting of the one-child policy, the situation is likely to get worse if no measures are taken, according to Wen Jun, head of the Sociology Institute of East China Normal University.

Jiang Yongping, an ACWF researcher, suggested enterprises should not simply focus on short-term labor costs.

"Companies should learn to appreciate women's advantages and values and help them get back to work to contribute to company growth," she said. "Authorities should step up supervision on enterprises, while the government should compensate companies willing to recruit female workers."

Zhou Xiaozheng, a sociology professor with Renmin University of China, said women should "boycott" unfair clauses at work.

"They should learn to protect their legitimate rights," Zhou said. Endi