SUNDAY'S report, 'Pregnant? You're fired', reminds me of the similarly unfortunate fate experienced by a few of my friends.

Besides companies that try all ways and means to penalise pregnant employees, there are also those that do not practise childcare leave entitlement as stipulated by the Ministry of Manpower.

Some of my friends were not allowed to take childcare leave. Unfortunately, they were not aware of their entitlement until recently.

Some even approached their companies to request this entitlement, but no formal reply was given to them. Some of my friends have been deprived of this entitlement for years, even before the six days' entitlement came into effect last year.

My friends need to support their families. They cannot afford to put their rice bowls under a hammer by reporting these errant employers.

At the same time, childcare leave is something they are entitled to. Their last resort is to report these companies only after they have left their jobs, which will not get them their entitlement and only make them a 'martyr' in the process.

How, then, should they report their companies?

Ler Liling (Ms)

This article was first published in The Straits Times.