Chinese firms caught ordering illegal pregnancy tests for female jobseekers
- Prosecutors in the eastern city of Nantong took action against 16 local companies for sex discrimination
Prosecutors in an eastern Chinese city have sued 16 companies that asked women to go through pregnancy tests before they were hired.
The Tongzhou district procuratorate in Nantong, a city in Jiangsu province, began investigating the matter after being tipped off earlier this year, the official Procuratorial Daily reported on Monday.
After the investigation had finished, prosecutors contacted the local bureau of human resources and social security, which then warned the companies and hospitals about their behaviour.
The article did not say whether any fines had been issued, but companies can be fined up to 50,000 yuan (US$6,900) for sex discrimination if they refuse to correct their behaviour.
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Two hospitals and a physical exam centre were also caught up in the investigation, which found that 168 pregnancy tests had been carried out on job applicants on behalf of 16 companies.
The hospitals said the women affected had not been given a written warning that the tests would be carried out, but were instead given deliberately vague verbal warnings.
