Sample Workplace: Printex-Access

Printex-Access is a manufacturing firm specializing in the production of printing and stationary accessories. After 12 very successful years and 120 staff employed in production, wholesale sales and management, the owners decided to open 10 Printex retail outlets across the state last year. Each retail outlet has 2 full-time permanent employees (ie the Manager and Assistant Manager), 1 part-time permanent employee and 2 casual employees.

All up 40 % of the 170 staff were women, however other than 2 store Managers, 2 senior sales representatives and the senior Accountant, the women employees were all at the lower end of the pay scale.

The company had just drafted 2 new short term contracts (ie 4 months) for a graphic artist – Eve Leikort who had completed her university work experience with the company, and a colour design consultant – Astrid Saemund.

Astrid was also well known to Printex-Access as she had designed the model interior for the retail outlets. When Pollock Edden the HR Manager rang Astrid to determine her availability Astrid announced she was pregnant, in fact she would be exactly 16 weeks pregnant the day they wanted her to start. Pollock who’d warmed to Astrid the day he met her, congratulated her and said he’d make sure a pile of back copies of Parenting News – a magazine Printex-Access regularly advertised in - were waiting for her in the office. They laughed, and Pollock added “seriously if there is anything else that’ll help you over the next 16 weeks while you are with us, don’t hesitate to let me know. We are really grateful that you can undertake the project at short notice.”

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