Job discrimination

Recently I came across an advertisement in The Jakarta Post inviting applications for various job titles. Among the many requirements, the one that caught my attention was "Male and Unmarried Female."

It is quite obvious that, even if their accomplishments meet all other criteria, married women are barred from offering themselves for these vacancies.

Doesn't this classify as discrimination? Why should married women be denied equal employment opportunities? Should only unmarried women have an edge in the labor market?

I realize that employers must provide three months paid maternity leave to female employees expecting a baby. This long period of absence might indeed disturb the work schedule of any establishment.

Let's face it. How many times does maternity leave interrupt women in their careers? Only once or twice I suppose. Today it would be hard to find families having more than two kids, particularly in urban centers where job opportunities exist.

If we don't examine this discrimination against married women in the job market, a large number of girls may postpone their decision to marry or worse still, may even opt out of marriage. This scenario is too awful to contemplate, as the decline of marriage and the family will lead to a breakdown in society. I'm afraid even moral standards might degenerate in the long run.

We may recall that some years ago demographic differences forced the Singapore government to start a special campaign persuading unmarried career women to marry and have children.

It's also worth noting that U.S. astronaut Shannon Lucid, 53 years old and a mother of three, created a world record last year by becoming the first woman to spend the longest time in space. So, it's a myth that married women would be less productive in their work.

D. CHANDRAMOULI

Jakarta