Working Mothers: America's Ignored Oppressed

A class action suit brought against New York mayor and presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg (Bloomberg L.P, specifically) this week alleges that his company fosters a hostile environment towards working mothers, citing demotions, pay cuts, and career "freezing" as consequence of conception, but it also alleges viscous name-calling from executives along the lines of calling them "pregnant bitches." This may seem like yet another bucket of mud being slung during these dirty election times, but it also raises a much bigger concern: When are America's working mothers going to stop being treated as second-class citizens?

The Bloomberg suit is sadly just the latest in a long line of discrimination lawsuits brought against companies by working mothers. Last month, a plastic surgeon in Pittsburgh fired his secretary because he thought her pregnant belly would "scare away patients." A waitress in Illinois was fired earlier this year when she became pregnant because "no one wants to watch a pregnant woman while they are eating -- that's disgusting," so said the manager. And get this: Retail maternity giant Modern Maternity was forced to settle for hundreds of thousands this summer for refusing to hire qualified workers who were, yes, pregnant! Just think of the thousands more cases that are never even brought to light.

Not to mention the criminal thing that is American "maternity leave" in general. Actual paid maternity leave (the norm in the rest of the developed world) is a rarity in the United States. Yes, still. Most women, whether working for Disney or a local diner are forced to max-out their vacation and sick leave, then rely on short-term disability to support themselves during their child's most important first days. Disability, of course, only covers a percentage of their salary and is only good for a few weeks (the norm is six weeks). And while the Family and Medical Leave Act entitles most workers to up to 12 weeks of job-protected medical leave for birth or adoption, it does not cover small or independent businesses and the "guarantee" is for a job only, no pay in the interim. Most women (single or married) can't afford children on their current salaries, let alone by taking a pay cut. And you ask any mother if six weeks is long enough to breast-feed, bond or properly care for their newborn before leaving them for eight hours a day and the answer will be a resounding no.

There is no doubt that women, though still scurrying behind men for equal pay and opportunity, are an invaluable resource in nearly every modern industry. Is their value really lost simply because they chose to become mothers? Think of the personal and professional gains a company would acquire if it increased paid maternity leave and supported an at-work daycare program for its working mothers rather than, say, allowing its top executives to expense cross-country private jets for weekend "business retreats." They'd sure as hell save money on lawsuits.

Follow Heather Wood Rudúlph on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SirensMag

Comments

[Scarabus]

Wow! The realitytrumps and avicenna posts make one wonder. What real adult would say such things? You folks can't be serious. Were you making an unsuccessful attempt at irony?

Anyhow…

"Actual paid maternity leave (the norm in the rest of the developed world) is a rarity in the United States. Yes, still."

What do you mean, "Yes, still." You should have said, "Of course." The United States takes very good care of its plutocrats and very bad care of those lacking power and privilege.­..especial­ly if their skin is dark and/or they have an X chromosome.

[ChristIsntComingBack]

And don't forget the dads to be of these beautiful pregnant women. They've been fired too because now the health insurance premium is going to increase for both the dad and whatever asinine company he works for.

How come there isn't in a link in your article about those companies that DO treat pregnant couples with class and dignity above and beyond what the FMLA calls for? Here they are:

http://www.workingmother.com/web?service=vpage/859

[shaman]

Larry278

I think your forgetting that many of the ecommerce jobs have moved offshore and are not very well paying in the first place. Any particular reason why women should answer phones and computers?

[realitytrumpsbull]

I think employee lawsuits are as good a
reason as any to employ more robots. Robots
can't go on strike, have no ethnic or
sexual orientation, don't reproduce, don't
sleep, they just do, and do, and do until
they hit 'end program' or the power goes off.
When GM moves the rest of their operation to
China because Detroit no longer provides them
with able-bodied workers, they'll likely
incorporate a higher level of automation into
their new chinese factories, as well, for
redundancy, of course.

You have 8 hours to get a job done, the
employer expects a whole-hearted good-faith
effort, if you can't bring THAT to work with
you, then why bother going? If you can't make
it through an 8-hour shift, for some reason,
don't make excuses, go see a career counselor
and/or schedule a checkup...

[ibsteve2u]

Such bigotry is an indicator that you probably shouldn't do business with that person or company; they're too stupid to remember how they came to be on this Earth.

[avicenna]

"When are America's working mothers going to stop being treated as second-class citizens?" - simple: when they stop acting like them. Why the heck are women still stuck in the mindset that they are to be working for somebody (read: a man) instead of being on top of the food chain? There is a subtle but pervasive socialization that starts early where girls are taught to be "assistants" and taught to serve others and boys are given autonomy - and each is praised in the fulfilment of their respective roles. So, women, you want to be treated fairly - be the boss! Secondly, use your half of the voting power to demand to at least match the levels of support mothers have in other industrialized nations (like Canada). America has a hideous support system - from maternity leave time to health and child care. Deplorable doesn't come close to describing the state of affairs in the "most powerful nation" in the world. right.

[isis]

Back to the 50s when pregnant women were considered so disgusting that they had to quit work and hide away.

[dadw5boys]

How about a NATION WIDE STRIKE ladies?
Nearly all Women will support you except the Ann Colter types.

[larry278]

Now that'd be really disgusting dealing with a corps of only Ms Couluer clones in retail stores. But it will be a boon to E-commerce who'll hire pregnant & zaftig women to answer the phones & computers.

[ZingoBonMot]

Nothing like 'viscous' name-calling to make an insult stick.