A new study shows that women who take maternity leave are viewed as inferior employees - yet women who don't take maternity leave are seen as bad parents
Considering there's now even paid puppy leave at some companies, can you believe that maternity leave is still such a contested subject?
Nowadays, deciding how long to take off can leave mothers second guessing themselves as employees and as parents.
A recent study done by the University of Exeter in England involving 296 volunteers shows that mothers especially are feeling like they're in a catch 22 when it comes to deciding how long to take off.
Legally, employers aren't allowed to ask you when you're planning on coming back to work but women are expressing that they already feel judged the moment they announce their pregnancy, feeling as if they will not be considered for promotions or a pay rise at work.
However, the same women feel that if they don't take maternity leave, they're seen as bad parents and bad partners.
The solution? Paid parental leave that would allow both mothers and fathers to share the responsibility. And, with that, both genders would also share the judgement/blame from their workspace which would bring about equality in the office (although could see prejudices against parents as opposed to non-parents.)
So the double edge sword goes: be a less competent worker or be a less competent mother? Gender norm stereotypes are at play here and are continuing to guilt women into a more domestic lifestyle.
Doesn't quite sound fair, does it?
