[.Ally.]

Did maternity leave hurt you career?

The findings from three continents show that the more family-friendly a country tries to be, the less its women succeed in the workplace.

Read the Times Online article here. http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_an...icle6936224.ece
(Don't get me started on some of the comments!)

Did you hit a "maternity" wall when you returned to work?

I can't really comment as I only have 1 DS and was self-employed at the time. I'm interested in other women's experiences...

[littlesun]

Yes, I believe it did.

My daughter was born in early 2008, and I took one year of maternity leave (three months paid, and nine months unpaid) from my position in the public service. To explain the situation fully, in the public service positions are defined by their 'level', which denotes their salary scale, and the level of resposibility attached to the position. At the time I took maternity leave, I had been acting in a position higher than my substantive level for over 18 months. While my employer was under no obligation to continue this arrangement when I returned to work this year, I have to admit that I felt more than a little demoralised when I was effectively demoted to my substantive level when I recommenced work. I felt particularly irritated given that the role I was expected to undertake was identical to the role I had filled prior to taking maternity leave - with the exception that I was working three days a week, rather than full time. I don't think that my decision to work part time, or to take maternity leave should have be used in order to reduce my salary (quite significantly, I might add), however this is exactly what happened. Given that there are clear policies in place supporting work/life balance in the public service, my experience was both surprising and disappointing. I also know of three women in very similar positions to me from the same Department, so I know that this was not an isolated incident.

[Sybilla]

Yes. I was leap frogged. People continued progressing up while I took time out.

Also, I got less high profile projects on my return and while pregnant again on the basis I would be taking maternity leave in the near future.

I was also once (overtly) passed over for a significant acting position because my boss reckoned 'you're probably too busy with the family so I have asked X to step in'.

This post has been edited by Sybilla: 01/12/2009, 05:00 PM

[upup]

Is that a trick question?

[halcyodays]

Absolutely. I'm in the public health system, and our "job" is advertised every year- you have to turn up in August for an interview to continue your job from February the next year. Great way to remove the pregnant people without seeming like discrimination! (we found a better candidate, or job isn't suitable for part time work (if you ask for it)).

ETA- my boss actually said- pity you are pregnant, great promotion opportunity coming up next year, won't come up again. (You usually have to wait for someone to die before a higher position comes up, in my line of work)

This post has been edited by halcyodays: 01/12/2009, 05:04 PM

[lsolaBella]

First time around slightly.

2nd time around horridly. I returned to work for 20wks (between pregnancies) and was only really given 2wks worth of 'real' work. The rest of the time I was twiddling my thumbs or BEGGING to be able to type up someones meeting notes (and no my position was NOT a PA/Secretary role - it was a professional role).

I had constant excuses as to why they could not put me to any productive work.

It really became a game of attrition..... it felt like they wanted me to resign, I was trying to keep on going through the boredom. My GF who previously worked in my dept (when I told her what was going on was and said I should make noises but TBH I just couldn't be bothered).

[-Jerry-]

Not at all really.

Just possibly delayed a promotion by 12 months, but that is to be expected and is the norm in my career.

I took 11 months off (all paid, as I had holidays, LSL and paid maternity leave). Went back to my same position and have had a quasi-promotion since then.

[moss]

I did not take the full year off but in my experience - no it did not affect my career. I have still been promoted and given great professional development opportunities.

[Julie3Girls]

Maternity leave .. no, I don't think it did at all. Obviously, promotions, pay rises etc are going to be delayed when you take a break from the work place.

The thing that did impact my career was my CHOICE to change to part-time. Yes, being part-time has an impact on promotions etc, I fully expected it to. I completely understand that many jobs, particularly as you move up a chain in a company, DO require a full time employee. Management roles are much easier when you are actually there and accessible to the people you are managing, and when you can stay past 2pm to stay for the end of the meeting, rather than rushing off to pick up your children.


But, it was my choice, and I would make the same choice every time. And I'm very grateful that I have that choice.

[-Moxie-]

Yes it did.
As a fixed term teacher, I lost 9 years worth of continued service as I had a March baby and did not work for the remainder of the year. Therefore my continued service was broken, and I started from 0 this year. Lost all accumulated sick leave, LSL due in 2010 is now due in 2019, all because of timing of my pregnancy. There was no hope of receiving a contract when I could only work for 3 weeks before taking leave.