--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mothers suffer in the workplace. That…" description: "\"Mothers suffer in the workplace. That fact is by now so painfully familiar it even has a name: the motherhood penalty.\" — Alissa Quart" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/alissa-quart-6857_even_mothers-suffer-in-the-workplace-that-fac_2598082.jpg" --- # Mothers suffer in the workplace. That fact is by now so… ![“Mothers suffer in the workplace. That fact is by now so painfully familiar it even has a name: the motherhood penalty.” quote by Alissa Quart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/alissa-quart-6857_even_mothers-suffer-in-the-workplace-that-fac_2598082.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/alissa-quart-6857_even_mothers-suffer-in-the-workplace-that-fac_2598082.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/alissa-quart-6857_even_mothers-suffer-in-the-workplace-that-fac_2598082.jpg) > “Mothers suffer in the workplace. That fact is by now so painfully familiar it even has a name: the motherhood penalty.” [Alissa Quart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-quart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Working mothers face systemic disadvantages, known as the motherhood penalty, affecting career progression. **In simple terms:** Motherhood penalty harms working women. Key Takeaway Address workplace bias against mothers. Themes gender workplace inequality Mood urgent advocacy Type social economic When to use this quote - salary negotiations - promotion reviews - policy advocacy Key Concepts systemic bias career impact family‑work balance Questions to Reflect On - What policies could reduce this penalty? - How can allies support affected mothers? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑rooted cultural attitudes is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Motherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motherhood/) [Mothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mothers/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [“While parenthood served as no disadvantage at all to men, there was evidence of a substantial "motherhood penalty". Mothers received only half as many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordelia-fine/while-parenthood-served-as-no-disadvantage-at-all-to-men-there-was/) [Cordelia Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordelia-fine/) > [There's a motherhood penalty because we've been long taught things that are stigmatized about motherhood. As workers, we don't want to talk about our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-quart/there-s-a-motherhood-penalty-because-we-ve-been-long-taught-things/) [Alissa Quart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-quart/) > [“One day you will understand why our prophet said that heaven is under the feet of mothers. Because they suffer so much in delivering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anouar-majid/one-day-you-will-understand-why-our-prophet-said-that-heaven-is-under/) [Anouar Majid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anouar-majid/) > [“KINGDOM OF THE WOMB From her thighs, she gives you life And how you treat she who gives you life Shows how much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/kingdom-of-the-womb-from-her-thighs-she-gives-you-life-and-how-you/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [The only thing Jess really cared about were those two children and letting them know they were okay. Because even if the whole world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/the-only-thing-jess-really-cared-about-were-those-two-children-and/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) > [“You are still a good mom if you -forget to click a selfie with your kid -set boundaries with your little monsters -are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeksha-arora/you-are-still-a-good-mom-if-you-forget-to-click-a-selfie-with-your/) Deeksha Arora > [Motherhood is an essential, difficult, and full-time job. Women who do not wish to be mothers should not have babies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/motherhood-is-an-essential-difficult-and-full-time-job-women-who-do/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“Earth doesn't need our consent to wipe us out, any more than we asked permission from corona virus. 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I see them and I have this word in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-have-so-much-admiration-for-women-who-are-mothers-who-balance/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Motherhood is when eating chicken soup; the kids get the chicken and you get the soup and you would still feel happily stuffed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-chami-kassis/motherhood-is-when-eating-chicken-soup-the-kids-get-the-chicken-and/) [Sandra Chami Kassis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-chami-kassis/) > [“A mother is like nature, she appreciates her child’s every mood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/a-mother-is-like-nature-she-appreciates-her-child-s-every-mood/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really learned it all from mothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/i-really-learned-it-all-from-mothers/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [“Time plays tricks on mothers. It teases you with breaks and brief caesuras, only to skip wildly forward, bringing breathtaking changes to your baby's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ozeki/time-plays-tricks-on-mothers-it-teases-you-with-breaks-and-brief/) [Ruth Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ozeki/) ## More by Alissa Quart > [In the local state school I attended in England, I saw and heard far more awareness of where a person stood in the social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-quart/in-the-local-state-school-i-attended-in-england-i-saw-and-heard-far/) [Alissa Quart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-quart/) > [Low-cost gear can make restless people like myself feel marginally happier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-quart/low-cost-gear-can-make-restless-people-like-myself-feel-marginally/) [Alissa Quart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-quart/) > ['Middle class' used to mean having two children and sending them to high-quality public schools, or even occasionally to private schools. 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