Pregnancy no barrier to lead roles

Some mothers-to-be in the US are putting themselves up for, and landing, promotions in managerial posts.

Many women figure that expecting a better job while expecting a baby remains a far-fetched fantasy. Yet mothers-to-be are putting themselves up for promotions and getting hired into leadership across technology, media, restaurants, banking and advertising.

The women typically land their new managerial posts by making sure their stellar records and work commitment aren’t in question, according to executive coaches, recruiters and their employers.

These female leaders say they work hard to ensure the impact of their leave is minimal, and companies involved say sometimes parenting has to take precedence.

The pregnant women’s selection reflects strong demand for star players and expanded family-friendly benefits. Online crafts marketplace Etsy, which offers a relatively high 26 weeks of paid parental leave, says it has recruited or promoted about 40 pregnant staff members since 2013. Also, women with high-powered positions often can afford high-quality childcare more easily.

“Expectant women often are well established in their careers these days,’’ says Allison Robinson, chief executive of The Mom Project, a job marketplace that aims to connect companies with female talent. “So, pregnancy cannot be a limiting factor if employers want to hire and retain women for key management roles.’’

Alarice Lonergan, an IBM executive, won a promotion shortly before the birth of each of her two daughters. She initially advanced to associate partner of IBM’s management consulting unit in 2015.

“I had established myself well,” the 15-year IBM veteran says. “Taking a new challenge was within my reach.’’ She resumed work following a 13-week maternity leave.

IBM elevated Lonergan again last year — this time to partner. Her promotion took effect three months before she took off 18 weeks to have her younger daughter. Now pregnant again, she would consider another promotion before her son arrives this November. “I never turn down an opportunity,” Lonergan says.

Ambitious women should pursue better jobs while pregnant because “it is getting better and easier”, says Kayti Sullivan, a senior vice-president and general manager at Yelp Inc who put her hand up to be in charge of its sales and operational teams two months before she gave birth in late February.

“Being promoted during my latest pregnancy certainly felt like a non-issue,” she says. Sullivan says she sought the broader position because she aspires to be a chief operating officer or chief executive. Her 14-week parental leave ended last month, she says, adding, “I didn’t miss a beat.”

Allegations of discrimination against pregnant women persist even though US law bans such treatment. Many women are demoted or assigned lesser duties when they are expecting and some are even dismissed, work-bias experts say. About 72 per cent of the 148 pregnancy-bias lawsuits filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the past decade alleged that employers unlawfully sacked women when they disclosed their pregnancy.

The EEOC brought 19 pregnancy suits in its latest fiscal year, up from 14 during the prior year.

Sales executive Ashley Berg sued BMF Media Group last northern winter, claiming her preg­nancy announcement led the brand-marketing firm to withdraw her recent promotion abruptly. “No woman should ever have to choose between receiving the job promotion she had worked hard to earn and becoming pregnant,” a filing with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York says. The suit was settled this month, and attorneys for both sides declined to comment.

The Wall Street Journal