Chisinau magistrate claims workload retaliation following return from maternity leave
Marina Rusu, a judge at the Chisinau Court (Centru headquarters) and mother of seven children, staged a formal protest at the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) on December 22.
The magistrate, who is currently nursing a child under two years old, alleges frequent abuses and systemic violations of her labor rights.
Allegations of excessive workload
Upon returning to the bench on a part-time basis with legal breastfeeding breaks, Rusu claims her employer failed to honor these conditions. Instead, she reports being assigned a workload identical to that of full-time staff.
"I am not a person who usually joins protests," Judge Marina Rusu stated. "I am a judge, and I believe that legal avenues for defending one's rights are fundamental."
Systemic retaliation concerns
The magistrate suggested that her treatment might be a form of institutional punishment. She highlighted the difficulty of balancing her professional duties with her family life under current pressures.
"Regrettably, I have found that when you become inconvenient for a system, it has many ways to punish you," Rusu noted. "I currently have two infants to care for, yet I have been forced to process a 100% caseload."
Translation by Iurie Tataru
