General Assembly Resolution #491 “Rights of the Employed” (Category: Civil Rights; Strength: Strong) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.
The World Assembly,
Recognizing the need for expanding the scope of workers’ rights protected by international legislation;
Commending the efforts of GAR#491, “Rights of the Employed”, in enumerating several key protections, such as freedom from gender-related workplace discrimination and a guarantee of parental leave;
Concerned, however, that the resolution’s definition of a “worker” inexplicably excludes subcontractors and those who set their own working hours, preventing them from benefiting under the legislation’s clauses;
Troubled that the resolution requires workers prove to their employers the necessity of their breastfeeding in the workplace, a condition which is both obviously problematic and flies in the face of the legislation’s purpose;
Further troubled that the resolution mandates a private area in the workplace “reserved for the sole purpose of breastfeeding,” a costly and unrealistic burden on small businesses which are likely to have few, if any, breastfeeding employees in the first place;
Puzzled at the lack of any mention of discriminatory practices regarding the hiring of breastfeeding employees;
Worried by the fact that the protection of workers from retaliation for testifying can be entirely circumvented through the use of forced arbitration by employers;
Confounded by the granting of at least eight weeks of parental leave following the adoption of any child below the age of majority, despite the fact that older children usually do not require special caregiver attention and are often employed themselves;
Lamenting that the above issues prevent the otherwise respectable legislation in question from achieving its commendable goals;
Confident that a future proposal which resolves said issues would be wholeheartedly embraced by this august body;
Hereby repeals GAR#491, “Rights of the Employed”.
