Refusal to Adjust Work... Repeated Display of Heavyweight Products
7 Months Pregnant Woman Gives Birth to 1.1kg Premature Baby
Head Office "Strict Investigation... Will Ensure No Disadvantages"
A pregnant employee working at a large supermarket was reported to have gone into premature labor after enduring strenuous work.
On the 19th, SBS reported an incident involving employee A, who works at a branch of a large supermarket affiliated with a major corporation, going into premature labor. A, who was in charge of managing household goods, informed team leader B of her pregnancy in October last year. However, B responded, "There is no special treatment just because you are pregnant," and did not adjust her workload. As a result, A had to continue performing physically demanding tasks such as moving and displaying heavy products. After a month, she was diagnosed by a hospital with a "risk of miscarriage."
After taking four weeks of sick leave, A requested her manager C to assign her to lighter duties. However, C also refused, saying, "Just because you are pregnant doesn't mean you don't have to work," and "If the work is difficult, ask other employees for help." Consequently, A had no choice but to continue carrying heavy products. During the Lunar New Year holiday, she had to pack deliveries for four hours a day in a cold inspection room with temperatures below minus 10 degrees Celsius. During the store renovation period, she was even instructed to work seven consecutive days. She was only able to take two days off after protesting.
Continuing with the excessive workload, A went into premature labor in April at seven months pregnant after her water broke after work. The baby was born weighing 1.1 kg and was unable to breathe properly, requiring intubation and heart surgery. Based on this incident, A applied for industrial accident compensation, and the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service approved it, stating, "A requested a change in duties, but it was not granted, which likely caused stress leading to premature labor." A demanded an audit of B and C from the head office and reported both to the Labor Office. The supermarket’s head office stated, "This matter goes against company policy, and a strict audit is underway," and added, "We will take measures to ensure that A does not face any disadvantages after returning to work."
Meanwhile, according to Article 74, Paragraph 5 of the Labor Standards Act, employers must transfer pregnant female workers to lighter duties upon request. Violations can result in imprisonment of up to two years or fines of up to 20 million won.
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