Family Quote by Sheryl Sandberg
““Forty percent of employed mothers lack sick days and vacation leave, and about 50 percent of employed mothers are unable to take time off to care for a sick child.21 Only about half of women receive any pay during maternity leave.22 These policies can have severe consequences; families with no access to paid family leave often go into debt and can fall into poverty.23 Part-time jobs with fluctuating schedules offer little chance to plan and often stop short of the forty-hour week that provides basic benefits.24 Too many work standards remain inflexible and unfair, often penalizing women with children. Too many talented women try their hardest to reach the top and bump up against systemic barriers. So many others pull back because they do not think they have a choice.””
About This Quote
The quote highlights how inadequate workplace policies—lack of paid sick leave, vacation, and flexible schedules—disproportionately burden employed mothers, leading to financial strain and limiting career advancement.
In simple terms: Workplace policies hurt employed mothers.
Key Takeaway
Systemic barriers limit women's progress.
Themes
Gender inequality
Workplace flexibility
Economic insecurity
Family caregiving
Career advancement
Social policy
Mood
Concerned
Urgent
Type
Statistical
Advocacy
When to use this quote
- A mother needing to care for a sick child
- A woman juggling a part‑time job and household duties
- An employee facing debt due to lack of paid leave
Key Concepts
Paid family leave
Part‑time employment
Benefit access
Systemic bias
Practical Applications
- Advocating for paid family‑leave legislation
- Designing flexible scheduling policies
Questions to Reflect On
- How would universal paid leave change women's economic security?
- What policies can make part‑time work more equitable?
![“[Eric Schmidt] explained that only one criterion that mattered when picking a job- fat growth. When companies grow quickly, there are more things to do than there are people to do them. When companies grow more slowly or stop growing, there is less to do and too many people to not be doing them…” quote by Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/23b/sheryl-sandberg-439_feminism_eric-schmidt-explained-that-only-one-cri_16526.jpg)
