Maternity Leave

Words: 670
Pages: 3

As the number of dual-earner couples and caregivers increase, companies are taking the lead in implementing supportive policies to adapt and respond to the changing workforce. The extensive research done on the relationship between work, family, and personal life has demonstrated that employer’s support on balancing these areas can improve employees’ attraction, retention, engagement, morale, and productivity (XXX). Despite all of the undeniable benefits, work-life balance policies can reveal challenges and negative consequences when they are put into practice. Throughout the essay, I will examine the benefits and limitations of HR practices such as paid Parental Leave and Family Leave which offer support for employees’ dependent care by referencing …show more content…
Maternity leave reinforces gender roles and stereotypes referring to mothers as the solemn caregiver of the child. Research shows that supervisors are more likely to have biased against women because they think of them as less committed to the organization and less accountable due to their “inevitable” obligations with their families which can affect their professional growth (XXX). Additionally, studies have also proven the existing discrimination against pregnant employees. According to Slonaker and Wendt study (1991), mothers are ten times more likely to get dismissed after taking maternity leave. There is a strong correlation between the usage of this policy and the negative impact on women’s professional development. The purpose of the leave is to support women balance work and family, but other variables can make this policy less effective. Organizations need to think beyond the policy, help eliminate stigma, and consider on-ramp practices to keep successful and driven women in the labor