Zenica Resident Fired from State Company "Grijanje Zenica" for Becoming Pregnant

Belma Kokić from Zenica was fired from the state company "Grijanje Zenica" solely because she became pregnant. She received the termination notice via SMS when she went on sick leave in mid-July this year, reports the BH News Agency Patria (NAP).

Instead of her, the management of this company hired another employee.

- It was a shock for me - Kokić said.

- Less than a month before I received the notice of termination, I witnessed a similar situation. A colleague who has been employed at "Grijanje Zenica" for over five years also received a dismissal when she went on maternity leave. I couldn't believe such a thing existed and that a future mother would be discriminated against in such a way and left without means of livelihood.

Kokić had been employed at the company "Grijanje Zenica" for four and a half years, working in legal affairs.
She is known in Zenica as a brilliant student of the Faculty of Law, who completed her studies ahead of schedule with a high GPA of 9.75, for which she received the Dean's Charter. Kokić also completed her postgraduate studies with brilliant success and a GPA of 9.20.

- My problems started when I went on maternity leave on the recommendation of my gynecologist - says Kokić,

- Only 20 days later, I received a notice of termination. It surprised me greatly. Because, just a few days earlier, colleague Ehlimana Fetić, who is not pregnant, had her employment contract extended. The contract was also extended for colleague Nermina Beganović, and a new employee, Amna Miskić, was hired.

Although she had been employed at "Grijanje Zenica" for more than four years and had the best qualifications, Kokić revealed that the company's management had never offered her a permanent employment contract, but rather fixed-term contracts lasting several months. She signed seven such contracts in the past period.

- But, none of that prevented me from being one of the best employees in the company.

Kokić also wrote about her unfair dismissal to the Mayor of Zenica Municipality, Husein Smajlović, as the founder of this company. However, no response arrived at her address even after two months, so she also contacted the Ombudsman for Human Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a lawsuit for discrimination in the workplace is currently being filed.

- I am not doing this solely for myself, but also for all other women who are employed and fear pregnancy, as they could experience the same fate as me - says Kokić.

A large number of Zenica residents are also outraged by the decision of the management of "Grijanje Zenica". Some of them note that Bakir Izetbegović, deputy president of SDA, promised them new jobs a few days ago at an election rally in this city if they voted for him, and now their best fellow citizen has been fired for wanting to become a mother.

- SDA has been ruling Zenica sovereignly for years. Their slogan for the upcoming elections calls for unity, and we are witnessing that the managers of companies appointed by this very party are acting contrary to that - firing women simply because they want to become mothers - says a Zenica resident, reports Patria