In the wake of her mother’s passing, an unnamed woman was issued an uncompromising ultimatum by her boss: priority should be work over mourning, or she should tender her resignation. Unable to sideline the demise of a loved one, she made the compassionate decision to resign, enabling her to grieve and attend the funeral.
A post about this employer’s lack of empathy was disseminated through Facebook, going viral and sparking outrage across the web. This eventually attracted the attention of the Labour Ministry, resulting in a formal investigation to discern whether all labour laws were observed during this dispute.
In a statement released by the resort, where the incident purportedly occurred, it was announced that the manager in question had been put on suspension until further notice, pending the inquisition into her behaviour.
“We feel an overwhelming sense of sympathy and offer our unwavering support to our colleague who recently lost her mother. We stand firm in solidarity with her and her grieving family, emphatically affirming that they are not alone in this predicament,” read the heartfelt words of the resort’s general manager, Sandy Liw.
Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin, speaking on the issue this Thursday, declared that the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare is comprehensively investigating the incident to establish whether both the employee and employer were treated fairly within the rules of labour laws.
The minister further enlightened that the law grants all employees, irrespective of their position or tenure, the right to avail at least three days of paid leave in a year for personal business.
This provision reveals that even when grappling with death, an employee does not face the dichotomy of work vs mourning, as some employers might demand. All types of businesses and employees, including part-timers and employees on probation, are covered under this law, he added.
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