Abstract
Employer discrimination can lead to a wage penalty between mothers and non-mothers in the workplace. Discrimination can also lead to job changes when mothers return from maternity leave. This study examines if mothers' jobs change within one year of returning from maternity leave. Preliminary findings from a pilot study by the researcher indicated that few jobs changed and that jobs that have contracts, such as teachers or nurses, can offer the most job security for mothers. In this additional study, fifty women were surveyed—approximately 30% of their jobs changed, some positively, when returning from maternity leave. The findings of this study coincide with the pilot study by suggesting that returning to work from maternity leave may not result in negative changes in a mother's job.
How to Cite
Bell, T., (2013) “The Motherhood Penalty”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 26(2).
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