Is there a penalty for being a working mom?
The Today Show aired a segment on Aug 12 focusing on the motherhood penalty, you know, working moms.
Working mom from Chicago, Dena Lockwood, sued her company for firing her because she decided to take a day off from work to take care of her sick daughter instead of attending a meeting at work. Dena stated that she was terminated without any cause and was discriminated for being a working mom. The company released a statement explaining that she was fired for excessive absences and not for attending to her sick child. The commission later ruled in her favor and awarded her more than $215,000. Yipee!
Organization and website like www.executivemoms.com is a great resource for all the “support needed to thrive in both roles”. Marisa Thalberg, the founder and President of Executive Moms says that “cases like Dena’s are important because they raise awareness.”
So moms, if you are looking to venture back into the workplace or currently working full or part-time do some background checking in your companies equal opportunity program, they may have a flex time program or a way for you to work from home a couple of days a week. Don’t feel gulity moms…we are here to conquer the world!
Great article! Mom’s struggle all the time with what to do when your child is sick or if you need to attend a doctor’s appointment. Chances are most working mom’s make up for what is considered “missed time”.
I am glad it worked out for Dena Lockwood!