Bosses do not support families

Times have changed… can you relate to this one?

 

From My Say

MY PAPER WEDNESDAY JULY 16, 2008

 

IAGREE with Ms Esther Au Yong’s commentary “It’ll take more than baby bonus” (my paper, July 14).

 

Following the arrival of a new colleague who is single, it became apparent to a friend of mine that “singletons” are a preferred breed at the workplace.

 

It also dawned on her that marriage and family were “awful diseases” which her boss wished would disappear from the office.

 

Over a casual lunch, my friend’s boss told her: “I actually didn’t want to hire you because you were married.”

 

The concern was that married women would soon be sporting baby bumps, require frequent medical leave and eventually go on three months of maternity leave.

 

As mothers, their priorities would also be their children and family. Thus, the assumption is that they would not be able to devote all their time and attention to their work.

 

They would also take leave should their child fall sick or rush home when they get a call telling them that their child is hurt, said the boss. What work could get done? he asked.

 

The boss also said that if the company could manage without the employee during her maternity leave, then she must not expect to return and still have a job.

 

Additionally, the boss said that women should not be so stupid as to sacrifice their careers for family.

 

Should they get divorced, their husband would get custody of the children because, with a career, he is better equipped to provide for the kids. Hence, women should always put their careers first, the boss said.

 

Needless to say, this attitude shocked my friend and me.

 

Yes, if we have children, our families would naturally come first. Why should we be made to feel guilty about caring for them or feel guilty about having brought them into this world in the first place?

 

Married couples should be encouraged to have children and employers and the Government need to continually support them in this area.

 

The Government has done its part in providing child subsidies, but what about the employers? With employers holding such negative views about married women and family life, who would dare to have children?

 

Ms Michelle De Roza