Woman fears losing her job after finding out she’s pregnant, suspects boss may use her KPIs as excuse

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean woman working in recruitment sales is worried she might lose her job after finding out she’s pregnant.

In a post on r/askSingapore, she shared that since joining the company seven months ago, she has consistently worked hard and helped her boss meet sales targets.

However, she’s now concerned that her pregnancy could jeopardize her job because her boss isn’t supportive of women taking maternity leave or even time off for things like MC, annual leave, or childcare leave.

“Can he fire me based on my sales performance/KPI, but actually, it’s due to my pregnancy?” she asked.

“I am worried he will use my performance/KPI against me. For example, firing me because I did not hit the KPI. In sales, there are ups and downs, especially since my product is humans.”

“Pregnancy is a challenge, but you should work hard to hit required sales target…”

In the discussion thread, Singaporean Redditors offered a mix of advice. Some told her that her boss could fire her if her performance dropped, so she should focus on keeping her numbers up and not let her pregnancy affect her work.

One Redditor added, “In your role, sales are crucial; pregnancy is a challenge, but you should work hard to hit the required sales target.

Sounds cold and harsh, perhaps, but it would be unfair to retain underperforming staff while letting go of people with better results. Wouldn’t it create a demoralizing and unjust environment for everyone?”

Other Redditors, however, argued that staying in such a stressful environment and constantly being anxious might negatively impact her mental health and the baby.

They pointed out that if her boss does fire her, it could actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise. It might open up an opportunity to find a new job that’s less stressful and more supportive of her well-being.

Some Redditors also recommended that if she feels her boss is being unfair or discriminatory, she could report the situation to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

One Redditor commented, “I’m sorry to hear you have a boss like this. I think there’s some MOM guidelines on maternity protection.”

Can an employer fire a pregnant employee?

According to the Ministry of Manpower (MoM), employers are required to treat pregnant employees fairly. If an employer decides to dismiss a pregnant employee, it must be for legitimate, objective reasons, and the process should involve a thorough investigation to ensure the decision is fair.

Pregnant employees who have been with their company for at least 3 months are also entitled to maternity protection. “This means that if a pregnant employee is dismissed without sufficient cause or is retrenched, the employer is still required to pay her maternity benefits,” the website states.

If a pregnant employee believes she has been unfairly dismissed or has not received her maternity benefits, she can contact the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) for assistance.

Read also: ‘My mom wants me to study until 10’ — 15-year-old SG student vents about strict screen time limits and packed schedule

Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)