The Enlightened Female Boss
June 25, 2010
A READER WRITES:
Going out and finding a boyfriend, getting married, having children are all things that are looked down upon by corporate America. It’s disheartening. I worked in an accounting department for a Fortune 500 company when I became pregnant with my second child and was indirectly told that I should get an abortion if I wanted to keep my job. My manager asked how far along I was and when I told her I was 9 weeks along SHE (yes, SHE) told me that I had some decisions to make.
I kept the job for two more months, knowing that they didn’t want me there. I was demoted. I went home and sent my husband’s resume out every night until something came along that would put us in a rural family-oriented area and quit my job.
Even in this rural area my husband’s boss, a woman, eventually gave him a hard time. She wasn’t fit for her job, and whenever she ran behind, the workload made its way to his desk. It was daunting to know that she was making more than he was and he was doing her work. Eventually, to cover herself, he was let go for not being on task. It was a blessing. He found a better job within two weeks. He loves his new (male) boss.
Laura writes:
But according to Katie Couric and Gloria Steinem, America will be guilty of oppressing women until there are many more of these enlightened female bosses.
I guess you would have fit into that category of women whom Steinem says “need” an abortion.
— Comments —
James P. writes:
“I worked in an accounting department for a Fortune 500 company when I became pregnant with my second child and was indirectly told that I should get an abortion if I wanted to keep my job.”
I work at a Fortune 500 company and this would most definitely be considered harassment. Specifically, this was “pregnancy workplace discrimination”, and it’s against the law. We are constantly lectured about avoiding harassment, and constantly reminded about it via email, “training” courses, posters in the kitchen, etc. Therefore it is hard to believe your reader’s boss was unaware that her behavior was unlawful as well as repulsive. I think your reader had a winning lottery ticket, and should have cashed it in.
