Pregnancy Discrimination Has Got To End

The National Women’s Law Center and A Better Balance released a study highlighting the discrimination that many pregnant women, more specifically those in low paying and physical jobs face even though the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 guarantees pregnant women the same considerations someone that is sick or disabled would receive. The study featured women that were capable of doing their job with minor restrictions such as not lifting more than 20 lbs or sitting on a stool instead of standing behind a cash register for 8 hours. These women were often fired, denied water and forced to take unpaid leave during their pregnancies that they would have saved for after the birth of their child. 

It is fairly unreasonable to expect that in a field that requires physical strength each employee is going to be physically capable to perform certain tasks throughout the entirety of their career. There are more risks involved and with those risks come injury resulting from accidents or the inability to perform a job due to an unrelated accident, illness or age. If certain groups of people can be accommodated, then why can’t pregnant women? 

Wouldn't an employer benefit from offering slight adjustments rather than firing existing employees and hiring and training new employees? And if so, what makes them think they will hire a woman that does not want or cannot have children? Firing one woman and replacing her with another is not going to solve the underlying issue. Employers need to take a common sense approach when dealing with pregnant women instead of looking down on someone for getting pregnant while unmarried or working a low paying job.

I think we need to stop looking down at those that are less educated, speak English as a second language or work lower paying jobs. For the most part, parents want what is best for their children and want for them to grow up with more opportunities in life than they did. Some families are just starting out on their journey to achieve that and some have already reached it, and a person's paycheck should not be an indicator as to whether or not they are good parents or should or should not have children. 

When will we begin to realize that pregnancy discrimination is not only a women’s issue, but a family issue? And bigger than that, a societal issue? Women that work in fields that are physical, require standing for long periods of time and with infrequent breaks are working so that they can support their families. They are paying taxes. They are contributing to society. Some women may choose their profession, such as a police officer, and others may work a job because working at the local Walmart is their only option. Whether they chose their physical career or not, there is overwhelming evidence that supports the necessity of a diverse workforce. 

 For every woman with a child there should be a man defending her right to safe working conditions while pregnant. For every couple that desires to have children in the future, there should be a man defending his partner’s right to have safe working conditions. Even for those who choose not to have children, I am sure at some point they have a woman in their life that works and contributes to her family whether it be their own mother, sister or friend. The point I am trying to make is this is not an issue that should only be fought by pregnant women facing work place discrimination. 

Although legislation cannot change an employer's opinion, it can at least guarantee the most vulnerable workers the protections they need. When employers and society as a whole begin to recognize the contributions that women make in the workforce whether it be as an executive with a major company or in a low paying entry level job, the need for these laws will hopefully cease to exist. Until then, it is important to allow hard working, law abiding taxpayers to continue to work and provide for their families. 

Please click on this link to the National Women's Law Center and tell the EEOC to issue strong guidance to employers about workplace discrimination. 

What is Success?

When you think about success in life what comes to mind? Is it the house with the two car garage, a “good” job that offers benefits and a retirement package? Is it being a top level executive with a Fortune 500 company or an entrepreneur? Is it making enough money to take exotic vacations and own a wardrobe of designer clothes or the ability to not have to work full-time?

I've seen plenty of people that went to work in a suit and tie (or skirt suit) in corporate America after college to learn shortly after they hated it. They hated being micromanaged, they hated sitting in front of a computer for nine hours a day. They hated not being able to take as much personal time off to pursue their passions; they felt work was taking over their entire lives. Is climbing the ranks of a major corporation the epitome of success in America and is this what we should be encouraging our sons and daughters to do?

I ask these questions because when I think about my own personal happiness, I don’t envision myself in a suit, moving from cubicle to corner office to suite over the course of twenty years with a major corporation. I don’t envision myself having to wait 10 years to take 3 weeks vacation or working 50-60 hours a week for someone else. I see myself as being independent and working for myself. I see myself having the ability to decide for myself if I can make my son’s school play or take time off because he’s sick and not have to ask permission or be made to feel guilty about it. I see myself as making enough money to support my family and save for my retirement. I see myself as having a life outside of work.

I recently read an article in the Huffington Post about Millennial women not aspiring to be executives in corporate America. Maybe they see the stress that their male counterparts face in those positions and think, I don’t want this for myself. I do firmly believe women need and deserve to get paid what their male counterparts are earning and families should have more favorable options as far as flex time and maternity/paternity leave. But for some people, even with the additional benefits (for those that are fortunate enough to have those options available) working in said environment still may not be all its cracked up to be.

Could that be the trend? That more people, women in particular, are seeking careers where they are their own boss, they set their own rules and still have the ability to raise a family in the way they wish to? I think the spotlight should not only be on the female CEO of a major company, but on the people that have been able to start something from scratch whether it be as a small business owner, freelance writer or consultant where their creativity, skills and intellect can be used to its fullest extent and not limited based on a job title.

There are many different measures of success and I think we should encourage our children, the future generations, to really hone in on where they see themselves and what would truly make them happy. If becoming a CEO of a major company is their goal, then great. If not then that’s OK too. To be honest, this country would probably benefit more from there being more small businesses and banks so that large companies do not have complete control over entire economies. But hey, that’s another post for another time. 

Can We Afford To Have It All?

I've found that most of the articles I've read regarding the work life balance that families need so that both parents can thrive in the work place centers around those that are highly educated and are already established in their careers. When you have an MBA from an elite university or have worked and established yourself within a Fortune 500 company one may have more leverage with requesting things like a flexible schedule or paid maternity leave. So, what about everyone else? What about the Millennials that have not gone to college or recently graduated from school and have not gained valuable work experience? What about those of us that work in positions or industries with a sink or swim mentality instilling the fear that we can be easily replaced?

Not all families have two parents in the household, not all families have parents that can afford nannies or full time daycare so that both parents can work long hours and travel for work. Many families work in industries such as healthcare or retail where the hours are inflexible and the wages are low. How do we lean in? Is it fair to penalize or condemn those of us that are not fortunate enough to have the same choices and possibilities as someone like Sheryl Sandberg or Marissa Mayer? Is it fair to expect that those of us with a household income below $80,000 should not procreate at all?

Don't get me wrong, I am glad that there are women like Marissa Mayer and Sheryl Sandberg in the positions of power that they are in that can make decisions that benefit families, help to foster an environment where moms and dads are able to thrive and contribute the way they did before becoming parents. I am glad the “lean in” debate has received the attention that it has so that it may create a dialogue at other companies with regard to favorable policies for families that would extend to all employees, not only those that are in a position of authority.

Most other first world countries have more favorable policies for working families than the U.S. Yes, the cost of providing paid leave can be costly but the cost of having to replace workers or face the risk of losing quality workers must be an incentive for employers to provide paid leave for new moms and dads. If some of the most successful companies can see the value in retaining their workforce why can't other companies do the same?

It is clear not all families are the same, which create unique challenges across the board. Whether it’s the woman who has found success in corporate America but earns less than her male counterparts or the dad that cannot get the flexible schedule he needs to be home more with his family or the single mom that works her butt off but still needs to rely on government assistance to barely make ends meet; families are in dire need of support in this country and we need favorable policies that will help us continue to thrive and grow as a nation.