- A significant number of mothers with children under five are leaving the workforce in the US, with the share of working mothers in this demographic dropping by nearly three percentage points between January and June this year.
- Since January, 212,000 women over 20 have exited the workforce, while 44,000 men entered it, highlighting a growing disparity.
- Key reasons for mothers quitting include the unaffordable cost of childcare, insufficient maternity leave provisions, and companies reversing pandemic-era work-from-home policies, forcing employees back to the office.
- The decision to leave employment often involves a difficult choice for mothers, who feel they are sacrificing their careers due to a lack of systemic support for working parents.
- Personal accounts, such as those of Meghan, a nurse, and Casey Puleo, an accountant, illustrate the challenges faced by mothers balancing demanding careers with childcare responsibilities and the emotional toll of their decisions.
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