BABAE KA partylist to push for equal employment law

As the nation celebrates Labor Day today, the Babae Para sa Kaunlaran partylist (BABAE KA) announced its plan to push for the enactment of the equal employment opportunity law.

BABAE KA chairperson Sally Dagami, in a press statement, said the partylist, should it wins a seat in Congress, would work for the passage of this law that will ban employment discrimination by age, gender and religion.

"Discrimination in employment is illegal and immoral. It has been practiced in this country and the Department of Labor and Employment has done nothing about it," Dagami said.

With the law, wanted ads that states qualifications such as "female, 20 to 35 years old" or "male, 25 to 40 years old" will no longer be allowed.

Dagami said, "It is about time that this discrimination especially against women, who are pregnant, and all citizens, who are above 35 years old, be considered an offense punishable with imprisonment."

BABAE KA president Ruth Vasquez added that the partylist is now finalizing its research about this matter in preparation for the filing in Congress of the bill granting equal employment opportunity.

"Given the chance we make it to Congress, this will be the first proposed law that BABAE KA will file," said Vasquez.

"The ''Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 2007'' will be patterned with the ''Age Discrimination Act of 1967'' that was enacted by the Congress of the United States," she said.

Vasquez explained that the law will make it illegal for any employer to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any person regarding his or her compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment, on the basis of the individual''s age, gender and religion.

"In this proposed bill of BABAE KA, even the printing of any employment advertisement that will tend to be discriminatory to age, sex and religion shall be unlawful," Vasquez added. - Gregg M. Rubio/RAE