Recession: Adding Fear to Your Maternity Leave?

June 30, 2009 at 11:00 AM by Cafe Sheri - Comments (2)

Photo by geminisummerz

The current economic recession has many people fearing pay cuts and job loss. Heck, some workers are even dressing better to hold onto their jobs.

For pregnant moms about to temporarily leave their jobs and head out on maternity leave, recession anxiety might mean an extra heap of worry on their plates.

Already, families are cutting back wherever possible, and many are among those experiencing widespread fear about layoffs and position eliminations at work.

Workplace woes add a little extra worry for some pregnant moms who hoped to take some time off with baby. According to "The New Normal: Maternity Leave" story on ABC News, many women have cut down the time they plan to take off after baby. The financial impact of taking an extended, often unpaid, maternity leave just isn't possible during these tough economic times. Whether it's worry about the security of her job or her spouse's job or whether the family has already experienced pay cuts, furloughs, or demotions, many families simply can't afford it.

Of course, while it's totally illegal to fire a woman for a pregnancy or time off, many employers are being forced to cut back, slow down, and eliminate staff numbers due to a sluggish economy. This puts a little added fear on moms away on maternity leave who might feel a little "out of sight, out of mind" in terms of their job security.

Watch the ABC News clip for ideas about staying connected to the office while you're away on maternity leave.

Let's hear from you. Are you worried about losing your job while you're on maternity leave? Are you struggling financially to take the time you intended to take off when your new baby arrived?

FILED UNDER: maternity leave, newborns