"Miya Walker, 25, wasn't worried about child care costs when she was pregnant with her son in 2021. Her data analyst role was remote, and her mom was around when she needed help. But after her son was born in April 2022, her employer pushed going back to the office, an hourlong drive from her home in Snellville, Georgia. Then, her mom's arthritis flared up."
"Walker said she worked in a hybrid model for a few months after her maternity leave, but soon realized "it just didn't make sense, financially." The day care she wanted to send her son to cost $1,500 per month. Plus, hearing his cries when she left for work was unbearable. She quit. "I feel like, a lot of women, we're educated, and we have the ability to work, and we want to contribute to the workforce," Walker said."
"Economists warn the decision to step away, even temporarily, could have lasting damage on their earnings and careers. "The research is pretty clear that if you exit the labor market or take a step back when you're young, there are benefits to it, but they're not usually financial," said Lauren Bauer, a fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution."
Mothers with young children are leaving the workforce due to unaffordable child care, employer return-to-office mandates, and reduced family support. One worker quit after her employer required an hourlong commute and her mother became unable to provide help; preferred day care cost $1,500 per month and leaving her infant was unbearable. Federal data show labor force participation for women with children under six declined to 66.4%, a nearly two percentage point drop year-over-year, while men's participation rose to 95.6%. Economists warn that stepping away can produce nonfinancial benefits but may cause lasting harm to earnings and careers.
Read at USA TODAY
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