[THE INVESTOR] Samsung C&T Corp. is in hot water over alleged discrimination of employees who take child care leave.

According to a report by a local broadcaster, the company has been forcing workers who take child care leave to sign a document that frees the company from responsibility should the employee be penalized for taking such leave. 

The document, which was allegedly signed by an in-house lawyer at Samsung C&T, apparently states that an employee taking child care leave will not take issue with unfavorable developments in human resource matters. The document also supposedly states that the employee will not take any civil or criminal action against the company regarding the matter.

The alleged agreement is in direct violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity and Work-Family Balance Assistance Act. Article 19 of the act states that an employee must not be discriminated due to taking maternity or child care leave. 
 
In an interview with the broadcaster, the lawyer, identified only by her surname Cho, claimed that she was made to sign the agreement regarding child care leave and was treated unfairly following her return. She claimed that she was given the lowest evaluation after her return and that she was passed over for a promotion.

The company said that although the document does exist, the offending clause was recently removed and no employee has been treated unfairly based on the agreement.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)