Chinese firm tells women staff to only get pregnant 'according to agreed schedule'

An employer in northern China has told women staff they must schedule in advance when they get pregnant and if they have a baby outside that period they will be fined and could lose their end of year bonuses and chances of promotion, according to a media report.

A credit union in Jiaozuo in Henan province said it was important that women who have been married for a year or more agreed with the organisation when they would get pregnant so staff did not take maternity leave at the same time, the news website Hinews.cn reported.

Women getting pregnant outside the schedule face a fine of 1,000 yuan (HK$1,250), the report said.

An email announcing the move by the credit union has been circulated on social media in China.

“Finding a job is not easy. Everyone has no choice but to plan their pregnancies according to the notice,” one woman employee unhappy with the policy was quoted as saying. “No one can guarantee if one can become pregnant as scheduled. This policy is too inconsiderate.”

An official at the credit union, who declined to give his name, told the website that the policy was proposed because the group had recently hired a lot of young women and was worried that if many became pregnant at the same time it could affect the business.