When a woman finds out that she is pregnant, she undergoes an astronomical amount of pressure. For the pregnant mother as well as her child-to-be, the next nine months will be incredibly crucial. The vast majority of employers give their employees 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year; maternity leave falls under these credentials. The multiple weeks away from the office ends up going unpaid, leading women to neglect the idea of raising a family, especially if there are financial boundaries. Women should not have to carry the weight of this systemic burden on their own. All men should be supportive of their wives, mothers, and any other womanly figures prevalent in their lives.

All women going through the exhausting, life-changing, experience that is child-birth deserve better treatment with regards to their personal finance. In certain situations, women may not have monetary support from a partner, family member, or close friend during maternity leave. Many of the strongest women have to go through this incredibly challenging time alone, all while doing so without the financial support of their employer. Women are willing to sacrifice for their children, and for employment to not make the same sacrifices for their workers is upsetting. It is upsetting that women are willing to sacrifice for their children, when employment does not sacrifice for their workers.

Meghan McCain’s Perspective

Meghan McCain, a popular tv personality, had to extend her maternity leave from “The View” due to medical complications. “It takes personal experience sometimes to get on board,” McCain claims after her encounter with paid maternity leave. She was able to realize how lucky she was to stay on payroll while she took the respectable time needed. McCain took her extra time in order to raise her newborn, but her time was also used to regain strength. She was privileged to be paid while out of office. This is not offered to many women across the country.

Not all employers are as gracious as McCain’s to not only pay for maternity leave, but to graciously extend it as well. Eager to take action, McCain reached out to her cohosts to include a paid maternity leave advocacy campaign in their 2021 mission. McCain’s story as well as her call to feminism, were able to lead other women to empower each other. Hopefully, Meghan McCain’s story will inspire other men and women to advocate for paid maternity leave.

” It takes personal experience sometimes to get on board.”

Meghan Mccain

Financial Perspective

The United States of America is the only country that does not require paid maternity leave. As one of the wealthiest countries in the world, this active problem should be addressed more frequently. A select number of states in the U.S. pay for maternity leave, hopefully more states to follow. Many women feel they cannot spend the appropriate amount of time on maternity leave due to financial pressure. There are no economic concerns that are stopping companies from paying women on maternity leave.

Required paid maternity leave is not an issue only mothers should be fighting. The privileges that come with the identity of a white male in power, does not align with the social issues that require legislative reform in this country. If only minorities press for the amelioration of their oppression then there will never be a majority vote for change. Allyship is necessary when it comes to fighting social issues, without togetherness, these social issues will cease to change. If society continues to neglect these prevalent issues, not only Meghan McCain, but hundreds of other women will struggle and the chances of helping them will be difficult.

How Do We Move Forward?

By supporting these groups, even if you are not directly affected, it creates a step forward in sustaining conversations. Having conversations will lead to a wider variety of figures who support the movement. The first step to creating a movement is starting conversations, which will create traction for a specific agenda. Once support among the workplace is established, employers may be more willingly to find passion for the topic. We cannot wait for problems to find us, we must support causes that affect our communities. With regards to maternity leave, a movement starting with women to support women, would be incredibly helpful.

Women leading the conversations for these excruciatingly difficult problems can be the solution. A movement amongst women can lead to a movement amongst men. While this conversation pertains to women’s body disputes, once the conversation has begun inclusivity to all genders is important. Society would cease to exist without women’s willingness to bear children.

When discussing paid maternity leave with your employer, it may be best to address your plan with certainty on when you plan to return when you are fully recovered. If you plan on having a family, make sure to have a timeline and assessment for your employer up front. As office dynamic change and remote work becomes more popular, new terms will need to be negotiated. Remote work will not fit in a newborns schedule, the recovering mother must focus on herself and the newborn.

Reflecting on Your Own Office

  • Do you find less women starting a family?
  • Do you feel your employer is hesitant to maternity leave?
  • Is there a common occurrence of maternity leave in your office? Do women take back-to-back years of maternity leave?
  • As a woman yourself, are you hesitant to start a family if you cannot afford to take the unpaid time?
  • Will the digital office lifestyle shift make paid maternity leave even more difficult to normalize?

Reflection of one’s own workplace may lead to discussion of changes for advocacy regarding paid maternity leave if these questions are considered. These women do not have to be celebrities like Meghan McCain, average, everyday women deal with this dispute. You could pass by women everyday on their way to work, their mind wrestling with the decision between a financial disadvantage or having a child.

For more important causes advocated for by famous voices, check out 5 Celebrities with Empowering Messages