Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2015 April 1 - 7 [LABOR]

Names of corporations discriminating against pregnant workers to be made public

The Labor Ministry has announced that it will disclose the names of corporations giving discriminatory treatment, the so-called “maternity harassment”, to women workers due to pregnancy or childbirth.

According to the ministry, when women workers suffer from maternity harassment, such as demotion, unilateral termination of contracts, and forcible retirement within a year after they get pregnant or give birth, their employers will be instructed to not violate the gender equality law. If companies ignore the labor authority’s instruction, their names will be made public.

The Japanese Communist Party has long demanded state measures to prevent maternity harassment, including providing a counselling service to victims, promoting corporate adherence to the gender equality law, and releasing names of noncompliant companies.

JCP Secretariat Head Yamashita Yoshiki (Upper House) in a Diet meeting cited the fact that 10% of women workers who become pregnant or give birth are dismissed or pressed to give up their jobs. Minister in charge of female empowerment Arimura Haruko said that the government will address this issue.


Past related article:
> Top court ruling is a big step forward: ‘maternity harassment’ victims’ group [October 24&25, 2014]
> Women workers call for prevention of ‘maternity harassment’ [September 11, 2014]