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Mother's Day brings greeting cards, flowers and maybe breakfast in bed.
But for many working mothers, there's a disconnect between the platitudes and the reality. We celebrate mothers who strive to meet home and workplace demands, but deny them paid leave when they welcome a new baby and want to stay home for a few months before returning to work.
According to the Pew Research Center, most women with at least one young child are in the labor force, and more mothers are serving as their family’s breadwinner. More highly educated women are becoming mothers and they are spending more time in the labor force than in the past, but also more time on child care. The survey also found that about one-in-four mothers are raising children on their own.
Here’s a finding that shouldn’t surprise anyone: Most Americans say women face a lot of pressure to be involved mothers.
NTEU has long championed workplace policies that help employees achieve work-life balance, while helping agencies attract and retain a top-notch workforce.
One of those policies is paid family leave, and NTEU is strongly supporting the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act. This legislation, introduced in the House and Senate, would provide 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child or a critically ill family member.
And during contract negotiations, NTEU makes robust telework programs and alternative work schedules a priority. We also work to make sure those contract provisions are enforced so that employees can utilize these important benefits.
When it comes to recognizing our mothers, NTEU believes in action, not words. Federal employees can count on NTEU to continue advocating for family-friendly policies that help mothers be successful at work and in the federal workplace.