With Mothers' Day approaching we might take a moment to reflect about what it means to be a pregnant woman in today's workplace. Traditionally, pregnant women were expected to exit the workplace and abandon their careers. And while federal and state laws now provide pregnant women some important workplace protections, working women still report substantial stress and worry about the negative consequences their pregnancies will too likely have in relation to their employment and careers. And according to current Equal Employment Opportunity pregnancy discrimination statistics, their worries are not unfounded.
Was your mother a working woman when she carried you? Did the mother of your children experience employment or career anxieties in relation to her pregnancy?
In the early '70s my mom (mother of three) was declined entry to the Medical College of Ohio, despite carrying scores and qualifications far above average. The President of the college met with her individually to inform her that the school was denying her admission because it would not be fair to her children.
If you think we've succeeded in abolishing such attitudes about motherhood and profession from our modern workplaces, think again. In my practice I frequently hear from working women seeking advice about whether and how to hide their pregnancies from their bosses. Believe it or not, for many modern working women, pregnancy is still something that they confess to their bosses only when further concealment becomes futile.
Now, isn't that bizarre?
This Mothers' Day, let's support legislative efforts like Senator Bob Casey's (D-PA) Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which would require employers to make reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions -- closing a gap in current protections. You can sign the petition via the link above.
Learn more about workplace matters here.
Was your mother a working woman when she carried you? Did the mother of your children experience employment or career anxieties in relation to her pregnancy?
In the early '70s my mom (mother of three) was declined entry to the Medical College of Ohio, despite carrying scores and qualifications far above average. The President of the college met with her individually to inform her that the school was denying her admission because it would not be fair to her children.
If you think we've succeeded in abolishing such attitudes about motherhood and profession from our modern workplaces, think again. In my practice I frequently hear from working women seeking advice about whether and how to hide their pregnancies from their bosses. Believe it or not, for many modern working women, pregnancy is still something that they confess to their bosses only when further concealment becomes futile.
Now, isn't that bizarre?
This Mothers' Day, let's support legislative efforts like Senator Bob Casey's (D-PA) Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which would require employers to make reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions -- closing a gap in current protections. You can sign the petition via the link above.
Learn more about workplace matters here.
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