After just one year of joining her new workplace, sales manager Lau Li Nah was already the top performer.

The then-32-year-old mother of one chalked up the most sales for the office stationery company.

This, however, did not stop it from sacking her in 2006 when she was about six months pregnant with her second child.

Her employer, who had some 30 workers, told her to leave immediately.

Ms Lau, now 34, said: 'I was so shocked. He said he was sacking me because I didn't inform him some of his former staff had joined a rival company. That's their choice. What has it got to do with me?'

She was convinced it was because she was pregnant, and the company did not want to bear the cost of her maternity leave.

With a baby due in three months, she was afraid no company would employ her. However, a multinational company (MNC) in the same business took her in. She accepted the job despite the lower pay.

She was earning about $5,000 at the previous job.

Said Ms Lau, who is married to a sales manager: 'Life was tough. Although I was very pregnant by then, I had to walk from office to office and carry heavy catalogues to get new clients.'

She tried to seek redress by reporting her first employer to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

But the latter's hands were tied because her services had been terminated more than three months before her baby was due.

According to the law, pregnant women dismissed without sufficient cause within three months before the birth must still be granted paid maternity leave.

Said Ms Lau: 'I was so disappointed MOM couldn't help me. There are so many loopholes in the law which irresponsible employers can take advantage of.'

She has since been promoted at the MNC. But until today, she is still bitter about being unfairly let go.

'I will never want to work for a local company again. And I don't want to have any more children. The experience has really left me jaded.'

This article was first published in The Sunday Times on Aug 3, 2008.