DCW Issues Notice To SBI Over Guidelines On ‘Unfit’ Pregnant Women, Calls It Illegal

The SBI guidelines say that a woman candidate who was more than 3 months pregnant would not be considered for a job. In its circular, the bank stated that a pregnant woman may be allowed to join within four months after the delivery of the child.

New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Women has issued a notice to State Bank of India for stopping women who are over three-month pregnant from joining work. The SBI, has called these women “temporarily unfit.” Taking to Twitter, DCW chief Swati Maliwal called it “discriminatory and illegal” as it could affect maternity benefits provided under the law.

“State Bank of India seems to have issued guidelines preventing women who are over 3 months pregnant from joining service and have termed them as ‘temporarily unfit’. This is both discriminatory and illegal. We have issued a notice to them seeking withdrawal of this anti-women rule,” Maliwal said.

“The bank seems to have framed rules which state that if a woman candidate is three months pregnant, then she would be considered as temporarily unfit and would not be given immediate joining upon her selection. This is a very serious matter. This action of the bank appears to be discriminatory and illegal as it’s contrary to maternity benefits provided under the Code of Social Security, 2020,” it said.

State Bank of India seems to have issued guidelines preventing women who are over 3 months pregnant from joining service & have termed them as ‘temporarily unfit’. This is both discriminatory and illegal. We have issued a Notice to them seeking withdrawal of this anti women rule. pic.twitter.com/mUtpoCHCWq

— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) January 29, 2022

The DCW asked SBI to explain the process behind how these guidelines were formed, and to give the names of officials who approved them.

‘Woman more than 3 months pregnant unfit’: SBI

On January 12, the State Bank of India revised its guidelines saying that a woman candidate who was more than 3 months pregnant would not be considered for a job. In its circular, the bank stated that a pregnant woman may be allowed to join within four months after the delivery of the child. The bank’s previous policy allowed the appointment of a woman up to 6 months in her pregnancy given that she could produce a medical certificate that her employment at the stage would not interfere with her pregnancy or cause a miscarriage.

“In case of pregnancy which is less than 3 months, the candidate will be considered fit. However, if pregnancy is more than 3 months, she will be considered temporarily unfit and she may be allowed to join within 4 months after delivery of the child,” the revised guidelines read.