17 A woman worked in a public canteen once a week and every other weekend. In addition, she worked extra shifts. The issue was whether she was permanently employed or a casual worker. This was important because she was pregnant and would only be eligible for maternity benefit if she had a permanent association with the labour market. The woman herself believed that she was eligible for maternity benefit, but the local authority and the Employment Appeals Board regarded her as a casual worker and therefore as not eligible. The Ombudsman submitted the woman’s complaint to the Employment Appeals Board for ­consultation, and the Board subsequently asked her employer for further information about her working hours. On the basis of the new information, the Board changed its decision and granted the woman maternity benefit. The Ombudsman therefore closed the case. In 2011, the Ombudsman discontinued 50 cases because the authorities reopened the cases after they were submitted to them for consultation – i.e. while the Ombudsman was processing the cases. An employee at a residence for mentally retarded people anonymously informed the local paper that a male resident was repeatedly sexually assaulting female fellow residents by undressing them. The employee had unsuccessfully tried to get the local authority to move the resident to another, more suitable institution. The Ombudsman opened an own-initiative investigation. The supervisory local authority explained that it was already tackling the issue, and the Ombudsman therefore discontinued his investigation. The Ombudsman frequently reacts to press coverage of an issue and opens a case, only to close it again immediately afterwards. This happens, for instance, if the story turns out to be misleading or the authorities immediately deal with the issue. A woman lodged a com­plaint with the Ombuds­man about a decision made by the Eastern High Court regarding her children’s residence. The Ombudsman had to reject the complaint as it related to a court. In 2011, the Ombudsman rejected 69 complaints because they related to courts.