A private hospital accused of dismissing a nurse because of her attire has stated that the woman, Naziah Sauni Samat, was fired for being absent without leave.
Administration manager Regina Sundram of Damai hospital said Naziah had not come to work for two days without any reason. “She was not sacked for wearing a long-sleeved uniform,” she said, according to Malaysiakini.
On Friday Naziah, 24, had accused the hospital of dismissing her because she had covered her “aurat” (modesty) by wearing a ong-sleeved uniform at work.
“It is my right to wear long sleeves, but the hospital management repeatedly ordered me to remove the sleeves,” she said at a press conference at the office of the Muslim Consumers Association Malaysia. “The whole hospital told me to cut off the sleeves.”
She accused the hospital of dismissing her for insubordination even though the sleeve-length was not stipulated in her appointment letter.
However, Regina told Malaysiakini yesterday that existing guidelines for nurses at the hospital, which opened in 1989, were trousers and short-sleeve tops, while Muslim nurses could don a small scarf (anak tudung) in addition.
She said the hospital had given Naziah the opportunity to decide whether to continue working there or otherwise, but had come to work wearing arm sleeves (stokin lengan) which was against the hospital’s dress code.
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She said the hospital had previously lodged a police report against the Muslim Consumer Association for attempting to threaten the hospital with charges of racism for not allowing Naziah to wear long sleeves.
Original article from http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/12/06/hospital-nurse-was-sacked-for-absence-not-aurat/
