When I tell you marry and give birth for only men who can provide for you and your children you say I’m being unreasonable. Well it appears there are employers who do not want to employ young mothers or mothers to be. They find a woman’s being in the family way, a huge liability and hindrance for their company. These are the frustrations za kuzalia wanaume hawajiwezi kifedha. You can’t stop looking for a job and raise your kids. You have to have a job bcz your man is financially challenged.
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Hallo ladies.
Who else has gone through this and what is the end solution?
Sometime in 2017 i had a very good job offer in a ranked tourist camp, we were past everything they had my licence to set up the place then boom! One day the CEO calls me to want to confirm if i may want more children in future and just like that they withdrew hiring me on the basis that i will be asking for maternity leave since i was young and married and got one child only. (They did not put it that way but a board member told me thats the reason from the table meetings) I was soo mad. (She got pregnant herself immediately.)
So this year i was pregnant with my second child and happened to go for several interviews and pregnancy was always a part of the interview - how are yu going to work pregnant, can you do night shifts etc. Despite being qualified for the post no one hired me.
I finally gave birth and i happened to go for another interview and the baby now was the topic of discussion - how are you going to work with a small baby, we hav the welfare of the child at heart, you should first stay home and raise the child etc… At one point i had to tell them just leave my child to me and give me the chance by my qualifications … I was mad… I had to ask another panel if a woman is pregnant or nursing are they not fit to work??? Is it a classified disability? How long before you are hired because of your marital status or family status?
It happened to me twice back in 2017 ,I was few months pregnant and searching for a job, the first interview i did well and was even invited for a training until they realised later that i was expecting they never called me. The second one they even gave me an appointment letter and everything was okay until this lady i remember her name was Sarah started giving the boss ideas not to renew my contract just because i went to her for a day off so that i can go to clinic, that lady made sure that my contract was never renewed, shame on you whenever you are Sarah how can you do that to your fellow woman jeez.
I was once disqualified for a job offer because I was expecting. Everything was going on very well, up until I mentioned that I was several months pregnant, then facial expressions changed. Never heard from them.
I had to give up employment first to prioritize my babies because I knew even if I got a job I would be dismissed coz of what I had seen around. I’m scared though that when I’m ready to go back to the job industry it may be too late for me but let me be hopeful.
As women let’s give our children priority. To be honest the reason for many immorality in the world today is bcoz women have chosen jobs over family. If we have to work let’s embrace businesses whereby you are your own boss.
Pregnancy is an issue with many Kenyan employers, I remember when I went for my interview we were told upfront that if any of us "interviewees " was expectant then they shouldn’t waste their time taking the interviews and were advised to go home until they deliver then contact the company or do fresh applications.
about 2 years ago I was hired at 8 months pregnant lol…but before the interview I really researched on how to dress for an interview while pregnant…and I followed! No one noticed in all the 3 interviews yet I was so big! I got the job and I had to explain that I can’t report in 2 months like they wanted because I was on maternity leave . I could only report in 4 months.The guy was shocked and he couldn’t change his mind because he had preached to me how he is an advocate of women before giving me the offer lol…He was a great guy! I believe it’s possible!
I went through that not so long ago. I am a civil engineer and most of the work is field work, so when I went for the interview I was asked if I was married I said yes. Asked if I had kids I said. They then told me since I had a baby under 2 I would not be considered. I was so mad and disappointed. Don’t they think I already had in my own plans how I would manage my time, family and work. It’s really bad. It’s discrimination of the highest order
As someone who previously worked in HR I can tell you it’s the norm especially in the tourism/hotel industry. I feel this is quite a harsh environment for women and it used to really sadden me anytime is see a lady come to the interview panel clearly pregnant because I knew that’s all the panel would see (men and women) and I knew she was not going to get the job…some ladies would have their contracts terminated only to be reinstated after they got their babies in a bid to deny them fully paid maternity leave…it was really bad. Some ladies worked in the lodges and had to leave their babies home to go back to work as babies are not allowed in lodge staff quarters for their safety and it used to break my heart hearing their stories knowing there’s nothing much that would happen unless they were transferred out of the lodge to a city property which wasn’t also easy as the competition was so high. Sorry you had to go through this but it’s the reality on the ground. I pray that things have changed now as it was terrible.
The working world wasn’t made with young mother’s in mind. I know of an organization that didn’t have maternity cover because most women on the board were past child bearing years. Very few organizations have accommodations for this cluster. Yet one would think they would use merit. It’s a journey hopefully it will get better.
It’s hard being amother. Only a few Managers and CEO’s will really understand you. I always pray to all Mother’s may God give u strength the struggle is real.
It’s tough being a woman. We singles get sidelined too when it comes to certain job opportunities. There is this notion we will not be ‘faithful’ or ‘serious’ in the job because ‘we have nobody to work for’ (family/kids)
Chemutai Kigen pole Oprah Winfrey was asked the same question
Sylvia Mati some of these bosses are too shady… At times I wonder how they get to the top. After saying that I deserve a salary raise because I’m competent enough he told me"kuja nikuzalishe kwanza alafu nitakuongezea mshahara."I resigned without notice, it still hurts to date because he was a freaking 67 year old tortoise of a man.
Chemutai Kigen waaat, so sleazy. It’s good you walked away. When will some people finally realize that a woman can soar in her career without having to engage in horizontal exercises? Or without the wife or mummy title?
You know what takes the cake? I stayed home to raise my children till they joined school, so that when I resumed work, I would be the loyal dedicated worker who didn’t need to take any off days or leave days cause those days were well behind me… Well, guess what? Most HR didnt appreciate that gap in my CV. In their eyes, my brain must have turned to mush from all those days staying home raising my babies. So you’re damned if you do, and you’re damned if you don’t. Just pick your battle… I would never take back the days I spent home raising my babies
Weee aki si umeandika mengi hapa. Na sisi the men who can raise those kids hatutaki watoto hadi tukue billionaires. For mimi minimum ya kuzalishana willfully ni 1m per day income. I want to own a plane before I get a kid. Na nikipata mtoto then tunaenda full 100% hadi 50 kids. Thankfully my great grandad showed me our genes are strong hadi old age.
Shida ya hawa wanawake ni some push some companies to the limit. Unaanza na 3 month maternity, ongezea 1 month annual leave, then anachukua sickoff ya another month or two. You have an employee you pay for 6 months doing nothing, bado anakuletea medical expenses na akirudi kazi bado ni kusumbua na masimu nyumbani mtoto amelala, amekunywa maziwa? On the other hand, kuna kaboy kametoka campo juzi ameparara and is 10 times efficient and earns half of what you pay this woman.
Hii upuzi can only make it in Govt and big private institutions juu ya gender equality nonsense. Startups and SMEs dont have such luxury. Ukipata mimba, you automatically become a liability
I was 22years in a very stable job when I got pregnant, I went to my boss to let her know I was expecting. I was hopeful that since I would be signing my contract soon it would come catered for maternity leave and etcs but my boss thought I was confiding in her so that she would help me abort (22 is too young to be a parent)
In the end I never signed that contract and I ended training my replacement.
Which country are you living in ? You can sue for discrimination
I hire disabled employees on the grounds that they understand what they are up against. Mostly temporary “as needed” jobs
I worked at my former job until my water broke, I just told my charge/Lead that I was taking elevator to the OB unit to have my baby. Yeah, that’s America. There is no different between pregnant and nursing mom’s. If you are a pumping mom, you can go pump at intervals through out your day at work. There is no relaxing here, you work like everyone else!
So to be discriminated because of pregnancy, it’s worth a suit !
I feel you my dear, once at five months pregnant I was given a termination letter in a certain company.I left without any complain, people pushed me to sue them for that reason but I never bothered. then out nowhere these same people receive news that I am at the hospital for delivery, and they send a cheque to clear my bills.