How to Be A Working Mother: Labor Policies for Working Moms

There are a lot of changes that being a mom brings. Not only will you now be taking care of another human being—who is dependent on your love and care for the first few decades of their life—but you will also have to balance child-rearing with your own responsibilities. This is especially true if you are one of those working moms that can do anything.

Being one of those working moms used to be extremely challenging, but things are looking up for women these days. Read on to find out how more and more companies are supporting working moms.

Pregnancy and Work Opportunities

Nowadays, HR compliance to the law involves more than just making sure that women are paid equally as men. It also ensures that women do not experience any indirect discrimination in terms of career growth opportunities.

For instance, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act requires employers to treat pregnant women fairly when applying for jobs they qualify for.

The same legislation also makes it illegal for employers to dismiss expecting mothers from their job. According to the law, pregnancy is considered as a temporary medical disability.

While federal laws should already provide enough protection for working mothers or pregnant women, there are also local and state laws that provide additional protection for women regarding pregnancy discrimination.

Post-pregnancy and Working Conditions

A lot of working moms opt to continue breastfeeding their babies even after reporting back to the office. The Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to provide certain accommodations for breastfeeding mothers at the workplace. Support for lactating mothers includes providing time and a dedicated space for mothers to express milk while at work.

While continuing to work in the office may be feasible for some, the situation may be the reverse for other mothers. More and more companies are open to the idea of flexible work options for parents.

Discussing with your employer about what options are available to you post-pregnancy is important. While some companies are okay with work at home moms, other companies may not be.

They may instead have other flexible work options like compressed workweeks or flexible shift schedules to accommodate the demands of parenthood.

A survey by ProEves has found that having a childcare facility in the office has the best ROI for employers. Having a nursery where moms can leave their children while they work allows them to focus better on their work tasks and not worry about leaving their children unattended.

This is something that a lot of large companies are starting to take notice of. So check with your employer if they have something like this down the pipeline.

Balancing Motherhood and Work

Working while experiencing the joys of motherhood can be very demanding and challenging. But despite its difficulties and discomforts, it is doable, provided of course that you ask for help.

Speaking to your husband or other family members about how they can support you while you’re away working can already be a great help. You can also talk to your employer regarding arrangements that they can make happen for you so you can still fulfill your duties at work without stretching yourself too thin.

Do you know any working moms?