Despite the progressive steps made in the workplace, it still remains filled with barriers that make it difficult for women to navigate professional environments. There are many concessions that women feel they must make or are forced to make in order to be seen as capable and valued members of the team. They often have to go to great lengths to prove their worth because women have always had to try that much harder to gain respect in professional settings.
In many cases, women continue to be seen as not up to standard and are still paid less than their male counterparts despite matching or superior qualifications and experience. Their thoughts and ideas are often overlooked, only to have those mansplained back to them to rounds of agreeable applause. They continue to be frequent victims of sexual harassment and assault. Those who bring these to the fore often experience negative repercussions while their perpetrators’ indiscretions are swept under the rug of corporate respectability.
Women continue to carry the burden of our economies on their shoulders through underpaid labour and unpaid caring work, while continuing to be punished for it. One of the most persistent examples of this is seen through the punishment or sidelining of women who are mothers or who want to make the journey into motherhood. While there exists relevant laws and legislation to protect women from being punished for their pregnancy/children, reality sees the continued practice of the motherhood penalty being enacted.
The motherhood penalty dictates that women who are mothers or have caring responsibilities for young children are hard-pressed to ascend to certain levels. Even if they are, they are constantly questioned about how they would be able to manage the rigours of a work and home life balance. Their opportunities for growth are significantly limited while being a parent often elevates the status of men. Many employers are hard-pressed to fire women on this basis now but they are still punished in other ways wherein they are overlooked for developmental and promotional opportunities.
While the majority of women face the realities of the motherhood penalty, it is working and underclass women who face the brunt impacts of these discriminatory and unconstitutional policies. There is also the challenge of them being unable to benefit from NIS if they do not have qualifying contributions, or if they were not in the formal sector to begin with. Very few cases of how the motherhood penalty affects these women reaches the public but these penalties are by no means rare.
In 2015, three MCC City Constables were fired because they became pregnant before the probationary period (2 years) was up. One Constable related that they would have been given the option of either having abortions or resigning from the job, where they could return after a six month unpaid leave. Following a public outcry the constables were reinstated.
This particular incident stuck out in my memory for several reasons. According to our Prevention of Discrimination Act, pregnancy is listed amongst the prohibited grounds for discrimination. So it is very interesting how both State and private employers continue to have workers sign contracts that are unbinding and void given the discriminatory policies held within them. What was even more disturbing was how the options of abortions or resignations were given. In what society is it okay to recommend a woman have an abortion in order to keep their job? How is resigning for six months during pregnancy without pay even considered a viable and suggestible option?
The majority of private sector businesses have no model for maternity benefits. While the National Insurance Scheme pays 70% of the costs for 13 weeks, the difference is supposed to be made up by the employing agency. The private sector of course, often shirks this responsibility. So, many feel that they have no option but to comply with the regulations set out to them in their employment contracts, mainly because they cannot afford to lose what is often their only source of income.
The responsibility to childcare is societal and must be a joint effort between both State and private institutions to offer maternity leave and childcare facilities. We should stop conceptualizing paid parental leave as being generous of the State and private employers. This is a fundamentally flawed thing to do. When it comes to the building of non-discriminatory policies, they cannot be made on the basis of generosity. In addition to holding the private sector accountable for their portion of the maternity benefits they need to pay, the State also needs to ensure that social security programmes are put in place to aid women who do not have formal employment contracts.
If we’re thinking solely in terms of economics, let us think deeply about how these practices are affecting our current and future economy. Breastfeeding combats obesity and other illnesses, which would lessen the strain on health services. Retaining workers reduces training costs and improves productivity. Doing otherwise makes it hard for businesses to remain competitive and to attract a diverse set of people who might be family minded.
One can always hear of the grand plans governments have of luring back members of the diaspora while persistently overlooking the obvious changes and gaps that need to be filled in order to keep and attract skilled labour. State and private institutions largely continue to do the bare minimum for employees and yet expect them to stay and aid in the development of the country.
