ORLANDO, Fla. – According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, women’s participation in the labor market is the lowest it’s been in 30 years. Since the covid pandemic, working moms are particularly vulnerable to leaving their jobs.
Women have come a long way, but research shows the struggle is still real for many working moms.
“All of the problems that previously existed before the covid19 pandemic just got exacerbated,” exclaimed Matthew Ng, UCF doctoral student.
53 percent are getting less than six hours of sleep a night, and 23 percent report no time for self-care. 48 percent of moms surveyed said childcare challenges and personal mental health concerns prompted them to leave their jobs or switch to part-time.
But there are ways employers can stop them from leaving.
First, partners need to step up. One study found that 70 percent of full-time working women do all or most of the caregiving. Also, better maternity pay legislation could help new moms stay in the workplace.
The family medical leave act of 1993 does entitle women up to 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected maternity leave, but about 40 percent of U.S. workers aren’t even eligible for this benefit.
Moms also cite flexible schedules, remote work options, and paid time off as factors that employers could implement to make their roles easier, so they can stay on track. Studies show the challenges that working moms face are even more pronounced among low-income women and those of color.
According to the center for American progress, if moms don’t come back into the workforce, it will cost the U.S. 64.5 billion dollars!