[lbo-talk] Israeli women's rights organization fires employee...for being pregnant

Bryan Atinsky bryan at alt-info.org
Sun Jun 25 13:55:01 PDT 2006


This was just too pathetic and ironic to pass up sending your way....

Here is the Na'amat organization's "Who We Are"

http://www.naamat.org

Who We Are

NA'AMAT, Hebrew acronym for "Movement of Working Women and Volunteers," is an organization & a movement striving to enhance the quality of life for women, children and families in Israel, the U.S. and around the world. Originally named Pioneer Women, it was founded as a sister movement to NA'AMAT Israel.

NA'AMAT women act locally, nationally and globally in 11 countries (10 sister countries in addition to Israel). We are united in belief and in action around issues ranging from religious pluralism to an improvement in the status of women at home and in the workplace, from child well-being to peace in the Middle East, from the ability of single parents and new immigrants to build a life for themselves to the end of domestic violence. We help women, and we help women help themselves.

Because of its meaningful agenda, Golda Meir, National Secretary of NA'AMAT in the 1930s, wrote that NA'AMAT was "the first and last women's organization for which I ever worked." -------

and here is what they did:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/731154.html

Na'amat promises to pay pregnant worker it dismissed By Ruth Sinai, Haaretz Correspondent

Na'amat, a leading women's organization, fired a pregnant worker in violation of the law.

The woman sued the organization on Sunday for NIS 130,000 in unpaid wages, severance pay, childbirth grants and other items. In response, a Na'amat spokeswoman publicly apologized, calling the incident a "grave lapse" that "completely contradicted Na'amat's regulations." The organization also promised to pay the plaintiff what she is owed.

According to the lawsuit, filed in the Tel Aviv Labor Court, H.P. had worked in a Na'amat day care center since November 2004. She was considered a devoted worker, and had even received letters of thanks from parents.

In June 2005, she told her supervisor that she was two months pregnant. The next day, she received a letter terminating her employment as of August. The supervisor insisted - wrongly - that H.P. could be fired legally, since she was in the early months of pregnancy.

The next day, Na'amat's regional director canceled H.P.'s dismissal. But a month later, H.P. received a letter informing her that Na'amat had asked the Industry Ministry's supervisor of women's employment for permission to fire her despite her pregnancy. By law, a pregnant woman can be fired only with this official's permission.

The ministry refused permission, having concluded that H.P. was fired solely because of her pregnancy, rather than for valid cause. However, Na'amat refused to rehire her.

Throughout this time, H.P. received neither salary nor unemployment compensation, since Na'amat never gave her a formal letter of dismissal.



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