Lecturer says she was sacked for going on maternity leave

Lecturer says she was sacked for going on maternity leave

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, April 5, 2017: A lecturer from a college in Kundapur has written to the State Commission for Women saying that she was sacked from her job because she went on maternity leave. However, the college has denied the charge.

In her letter, Soumya Herikudru, who was working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Kannada at Bhandarkars’ Arts and Science College, Kundapur, said that she was working in the college since July 2016. She was in the seventh month of her pregnancy in January 2017. While taking a class on January 31, 2017, she developed some health complications related to pregnancy and was rushed to the Kasturba Hospital in Manipal and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

She had to undergo Ceasarean section on February 6, 2017, and gave birth to a 1.3 kg child. As it was a premature birth, she continued to remain in hospital for another 15 days. The baby had to be kept in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit till March 2, 2017. Now both she and the baby are healthy. Meanwhile, college principal Narayan Shetty sent a letter of March 23 to her through registered post, which said that since Ms. Herikudru was absent since February 1 and had not given any letter of leave of absence, her leave was unauthorised. Hence, the college decided to relieve her from service on February 1.

However, Ms. Herikudru said that her husband, Pradeep Kumar Shetty, had informed the college principal over telephone and even the head of her department knew about it.

Yet the college relieved her from service violating various court rulings and Maternity Benefit Act. This act of the college was against womanhood, she said.

She had also written to the Women and Child Welfare Department and the district administration and demanded an impartial probe in the matter.

‘Unauthorised leave’

Meanwhile, H. Shantharam, Administrative Officer, Academy of General Education, which runs the college, told The Hindu that Ms. Herikudru was on unauthorised leave for more than 52 days, without any intimation. “She was appointed as temporary staff. If they are absent for a month, it is taken that they are not interested. She has not sent a written letter or an email to the college principal. After one month, when her salary was not credited, she should have written at least then. But she did not do even that,” he said.

Courtesy: The Hindu