What a jerk. Katie was way nicer to him than I would have been. Reminds me of a boss who wondered why I needed to take any time off when I had a baby. 
Oh please. Fake news. They where busting each other’s gonads. It was actually pretty funny.
I worked with men like that. He might have been “acting” like he was teasing, but he wasn’t. January and February were the most important month’s and workload in my job, deadline of March 1. I was having problems getting pregnant with my first child and actually stopped for 2 months that would have culminated with the birth in those 2 months. One of my coworkers did not and sure enjough she became pregnant the first week of Jamusry. For the next several years, until she quit and moved, they never let her forget it. Nothing spoken, but the attitude from then on out was one of disrespect and dislike.
I have so many stories of this group of executives from the late 80’s on.
Yeah, saying, “I was just joking!” doesn’t cut it. At one fabrication plant, I worked three long days a week (about 29 total). I had little kids at home. When a customer figured out my schedule, he very sarcastically said, “Oh, you must be a MOOOOOMMMMM.” Crap like that is not acceptable. My boss asking why I needed any time off at all was not acceptable, either.
Bryant Gumbel was always a jerk. Notice he’s not on anything anymore?
And we are still a looooooooooong way away from equality.
My father, who owned a successful business, refused to hire married women (because he assumed they would get pregnant and from then on would need to take some time off ). He actually terminated the employment of several women who were engaged to be married (and was perfectly open about the reason)! This was decades ago, and I was beyond appalled by his point of view. He was also someone who didn’t think girls needed to have a college education… ( they just needed to marry college grads, preferably from Ivy schools). I am thankful that my mom divorced him when I was young, and raised me in a very different way from my much older siblings.
I had plenty of unpleasant experiences with family-unfriendly bosses of my own, after I adopted my baby daughter as a single parent. It seemed like some people just wanted to make life a lot more difficult than it needed to be. We’ve come a long way (I like to think of the lawsuits my father would have had to contend with today), and yes, we still have a VERY long way to go…
Not much has changed in nearly 30 years. She’s lucky she had that much time off.
When I was born in 91, my mom took off 1 week before her due date. Turns out, it’s the only time in my life that I was early because I came her last day of work. She was back to work within a month of my birth.
My mother-in-law wears it as a badge of pride that she took less than a week off with all 3 births and has shamed both of my sisters-in-law for choosing to be primarily SAHMs after giving birth.
I work in an EXTREMELY family-friendly environment and we still tried to plan for our baby to come in the summer so I didn’t officially have to take time off. (Although at the rate my body’s going, we’re not going to have a baby until NEXT summer at the earliest so maybe our plans will still work out…)
It’s disgusting that we’re one of only a handful countries without mandatory paid leave for parents - and the only “developed” nation without one.
On the flip side, the founder and CEO of our Fortune 500 company offered paid maternity when FMLA came into effect in 1993. Up to 3 months! I only took 2 as my babies were born in the fall and the 3rd month would have been January. But I think that was very thoughtful.
Coming soon to WA… state law:
I worked on Wall Street when I was pregnant with D1. I was recruited by another firm at 5 months pregnant. They made me an offer even after I told them about my condition. They paid for my health insurance (pre-existing condition) and 3 months paid leave (the policy was for 6 weeks). They let me work from home a bit longer by delivering office mails (back then there was no email or internet, I know I am old) to me 3 times a day. Back then WS was able to do whatever they wanted to do for employees, as long as it was good for the business.
My company allows for 5 months for dad or mom, including adoption.
But to be honest, dads who take the time are discussed while they are away. Soft. Snowflakes. Career killers. But only among certain groups.
Surprisingly.( in a good, I’m glad way)
No idle chatter about the moms and all welcomed back with no fanfare.
I was the 1st woman that was hired as an attorney in our law firm in the early 1980s. An acquaintance was hired at another law firm as a glorified legal secretary at another law firm though she had a law degree. After I was hired, our firm hired several more female attorneys–one became a supreme court judge, one became lt gov and then a US senator, two became trial judges.
I feel SOME progress has been made on gender issues but not as much as one would hope. There still is discrimination against women in the workplace.
@romanigypsyeyes Come to Canada! 18 months now with extended benefits to those parents who choose to share the leave.
@alwaysamom we’ve seriously considered it, especially just moving over to Windsor. I’ve even looked into immigration procedures. Unfortunately being chronically ill and disabled is a significant barrier.
In 1993. I worked for a major bank and took off 6 months with 6 weeks paid. My ex-H also worked for the bank and was able to take off 2 weeks paid paternity. I went back 4 days a week. I really appreciated it.
In 1991 I was working in a company with really great benefits. No official paid maternity leave but we had long term sick leave and I had been there 3 years so I had enough accrued to pay for a 3 month maternity leave. I was fortunate to be in that situation.
When I had my 2nd kid in 1991, I was working part-time (20hrs) and had no maternity leave. (No insurance either, but that’s another story…) My boss said I could take 6 weeks, but there was no one to do my job.
I also had my 2 1/2 yo son and 6mo old nephew at my house in addition to my newborn. When I went back to work after only 2 weeks, my boss told me to go home–that he was embarrassed to have people thinking he made me come back so soon. I told him that he didn’t understand–that I wanted to come to the office so I could sit at my desk and “rest.” I stayed, but I had to tell everyone that it was MY preference. My boss was very accomodating/flexible about my breastfeeding, too.
My d-i-l just went back to work this week after 3mo. I am sad that I am not nearby to babysit my granddaughter!