The motherhood penalty: How becoming a mum jeopardises a woman's career, earnings

Yes, beyond the statistics, motherhood comes with sacrifices and herein lies a poignant tapestry of real-life experiences, where women are pushed out of the job market.

Many women desire to have children and regard motherhood as the most rewarding aspect of their lives. Yet, for those navigating careers, it can be one of the most challenging roles to embody. For some, the return to their jobs is an uphill battle while others don’t even consider it as a plot point.

Take Alice Munee, a PR accounts executive. From her delivery bed, the 34-year-old sent in her resignation letter—without another job in sight.

The months leading to her delivery had been dreadful. If she was not dealing with her employer’s hostility and skepticism, it was her mental health and morning sickness.

“I had had a great time at the company before I discovered that I was pregnant with our first child, six months after joining. Around that time, a colleague, who had returned from maternity leave narrated to me about her bad experiences with the company after she fell pregnant and later proceeded for maternity leave. She was often overloaded with work and was threatened with being recalled to the office before she’d fully healed.

With this insight, I kept my pregnancy a secret until I couldn’t hide it any longer.  I worked for a PR firm, managing clients’ accounts. As days progressed, my clients were assigned to other people. There was a subtle undertone that I was no longer needed in the office,” says Penny whose name is a pseudonym. Saturday Magazine granted her anonymity to speak for fear of retribution as we did with all other women interviewed.

Multiple studies, including a 2019 Global Progress for Women survey revealed that women are still being forced to choose between their family and their careers. A third of the 7,000 women interviewed from seven countries said that childcare had negatively impacted their career advancement.

While researching for this story, I spoke with different women who were pushed out of the labour market after falling pregnant or childbirth. While most stressed that their children were the best thing to happen to them, it revealed a disheartening reality that amplifies the gender pay gap, a perennial problem in Kenya.

“It is motherhood penalty. This is a phenomenon whereby women are pushed out of their jobs and put at a disadvantage in terms of pay, benefits, perceived competence, and commitment to their career once they become mothers. Some employers perceive them to be less effective and committed to their jobs,” explains Dr Mark Agaya, a sociologist working in the Sociology department at the University of Nairobi.

While it affects many women, the motherhood penalty, Dr Agaya says, goes undiscussed. “There remains a stigma around discussing finances and there’s the fear of retribution.”

Penny Cherop, 30, says that since she was pushed out of employment for taking maternity leave, her earnings have dipped from what she used to earn about 10 years ago.

“Let me take you back to two years ago. I worked as a senior accountant for a private school, a job that I took pride in.

Two years in, I got pregnant with my second child and continued working until two days before my delivery. I had some complications and requested a few weeks’ extension after the end of my maternity leave. To sum it up, I was not paid for the three months of maternity leave and the month prior. Further, the company cut communication with me. One day, I got hold of the school’s director who exonerated me from any wrongdoings but emphasised that the company could not take me back.

Sometimes I wonder, “Should I have sued for the wrong dismissal? But where would I start? And anyway, I didn’t have the funds to pursue justice, which I am skeptical I would have got,” Cherop says.

What does the law say?

Article 27 of the Kenyan constitution provides the right to equality. “This protects individuals from the various forms of discrimination, including pregnancies. The provision is also mirrored in sections three and five of the Employment Act. Further, section 29 of the Act states that every woman is entitled to a maternity leave of three months. Notably, one requires to give reasonable notice.

If one is fired for being pregnant or taking maternity leave, it’s an unfair dismissal and one can file complaints with the labour office or the employments and labour relations court which gives an order on what should happen,” offers Hezron Chege, a lawyer from Judy Thongori & Co Advocates.

To survive and contribute to household needs, Penny takes up casual jobs in the accounting field. However, the loss of her income dented the family income and they have had to downsize to close the gap.

“Still, it’s like I am holding down two jobs: household chores and my core career. I was a senior accountant but right now, I am paid like what I was paid 10 years ago. I am starting from rock bottom,” Penny says.

It's not uncommon. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), women on average earn 20 percent less than men globally. The gap stems from occupational stereotyping, underrepresentation in leadership, differing working hours, and the motherhood penalty among other factors.

Last month, Equity Group’s inaugural sustainability report shows that female workers at Equity Bank Kenya earn 52 percent less than their male counterparts in the same position. Another research by the Australian Treasury Research Institute last year found women’s earnings fell by an average of 55 percent in the first five years of parenthood. Men’s wages were unaffected, according to the analysis, although multiple studies show that while the earnings of working mums decrease for every child they have, working dads receive a pay increase for each child.

Another survey earlier this year by The Economist and YouGov, a pollster, gauged how children affected working hours. Of women with children at home, 44-75 percent had scaled back after becoming mothers, by working fewer hours or switching to a less demanding job, such as one requiring less travel or overtime. Only 13-37 percent of fathers said they had done so, of whom more than half said their partner had also scaled back.

While for these two women, the decision to leave work was forced on them, Risper Kinyua left work voluntarily.

“I had twins and found it difficult to keep up with house helps majorly because of their salaries. Although I am very happy to have been there in their formative years, it was a difficult decision to make. I wanted a family and a career. But I had to make a choice and shelve my career ambitions,” she offers. Currently, she runs a salon business, which allows her to spend more time with her children.

“Even if I went back into corporate roles, I would have to off-ramp myself into junior roles that are less demanding. Before I quit, I was already leading about 20 employees and representing the company in meetings, often out of town,” Rispar offers.

Impact to re-enter the workforce

Challenging the motherhood penalty in multiple avenues, Jane Mutisya, vice president of Women in Africa, HR projects director, and the managing director, of the career management centre, provides support, and coaching to mothers with career gaps who are seeking to re-enter the workforce. She also advocates for employers to be more accommodative and inclusive.

“We must appreciate that while some women have successfully balanced family and work, certain jobs don’t allow for that, and it's a difficult decision for many women. They take a break with the first baby, and before they know it, they have three children and a 20-year career gap. This initiative firmly believes that any woman who chooses to stay home when her family is young should not have to worry that she may never get a chance to work again.

“As a recruiter and a career coach, I encountered many women asking for help to re-enter the workforce after career breaks, some of which lasted up to 10 years. This data was shocking, prompting me to run a survey to gauge the demand for support. I discovered that there were dozens of women, educated and well skilled but who were still trying to fit in. The Mums with Career Gaps Back to Work program aims to equip these women through various initiatives that boost their confidence, refresh their skills, provide career tools, and support their job search and placement efforts. It also fosters a community with scheduled mentorship programs, connecting women who have successfully bounced back with those currently attempting to do so. Additionally, we celebrate and encourage women to start businesses while waiting to re-enter the workforce,” Jane offers.

Michelle Ndonye, 46, is one of the women who has gone through Jane’s program.

“When my daughter was barely a year old, my job was declared redundant. I was working as an operations manager. I decided to go back to school while taking care of the family. In between, I was applying for jobs that were hard to come by. The few interviews that I got during the two years gap became the focus.  Mark you, I had worked for more than 12 years but that was obliterated.

In 2020, I learned of the program and took part. By then, it had been seven years out of the job market although I had acquired a Master's degree. I learned how to put myself out there, rework my resume, and the importance of staying updated with the evolving field that one is in,” she offers.

With no jobs in sight, Michelle decided to look for internships and voluntary work. “Interestingly, I ended up getting the job that I was interning for. I am currently working as a business development manager. One year into the role, it was like I had never left yet I had been victimised for being away for too long,” she offers.

When we talk about the gender pay gap and especially how mothers are affected, it’s not just what happens to the paycheck but also the long-term effect.

“When I compare myself to the men or childless women that I was in the same role with, they are way much ahead. Because of the gap, I was already disadvantaged and had to start with lower pay than what the market offers,” she says.

For mothers with lower income or single parents’ households, the effects are heightened and many struggle to feed their children. The 2019 national census reveals that families headed by single parents increased from 25.1 percent in 2009 to 38.2 percent in 2019.

At the Women Deliver Conference, held in Kigali, Rwanda, last month, experts from different fields called for gender equality at the workplace. The convening is held after every three years to champion gender equality and the health and rights of girls and women.

“When women and girls are supported with funding and the right resources, they have the potential to challenge harmful norms, push for institutional reforms and transform their communities,” says Dr Maliha Khan, President and CEO of Women Deliver.

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How employers can create family-friendly policies and inclusive work environments

1. Flexi-work arrangements

Offer flexible work hours or remote working options to allow mothers the opportunity to balance their family responsibilities and professional commitments more effectively. Organisations can boost the concept of job sharing and working part-time.

1. Paid parental leave

Provide generous and inclusive parental leave policies that cover both mothers and fathers. This enables new parents to spend quality time with their children without worrying about job security.

1. On-site childcare

Consider providing on-site childcare facilities or partnering with nearby daycare centres to make it easier for mothers to have their children nearby while they work. The objective here is to give mums peace of mind to be productive.

1. Lactation support

Ensure a supportive environment for breastfeeding mothers by offering designated lactation rooms and breaks for pumping.

1. Career re-entry programs

There should be clear-cut policies in regard to learning and development which encompasses mentorship, coaching, and training. All team members should be reskilled and up-skilled so that there are no gaps in competencies and attitude. 

1. Equal opportunities for advancement

Implement fair promotion and advancement practices to ensure that mothers have the same opportunities for growth and development as their colleagues.

1. Anti-discrimination training

Conduct regular training sessions to raise awareness about unconscious biases and discrimination, promoting a more inclusive workplace culture.

1. Employee resource groups

Encourage the formation of employee resource groups focused on parenthood or working parents, providing a support network for mothers.

1. Performance evaluation objectivity

Train managers to assess employees based on their performance and skills, avoiding any biases related to motherhood or family commitments. Further, ensure pay equity and promote transparency in salary structures to eliminate pay gaps.

1. Networking opportunities

Facilitate networking events and opportunities that accommodate different schedules, enabling working mothers to build professional connections.

1. Mental health support

Sometimes breastfeeding mothers may face grave psychological or health roadblocks. That is why there should be a provision for counselling services. This can be in-house or outsourced. 

Richard Magoma, HR Professional & Corporate Trainer