"Me-Ternity Leave" has anyone seen this?

[GiraffeObsessedBaby]

Just come across this, I didn't see the show but will be having a look after my DSs bath time.

Is this for real? Am I alone in thinking what the actual fuckity fuck?!

https://m.facebook.com/loosewomen/photos/a.166231134878/10157440690599879/?type=3&source=57&tnn=EH-R

This is obviously patently ridiculous - but as an adjacent point, the impact of infertility on a woman's career goes unrecognised. I'm speaking at a conference for women in business on a a panel about the impact of 'invisible struggles' - with CEOs and hoard level executive women talking about the impact of cancer, depression, coming out and bereavement on their careers : I'm talking about infertility and miscarriage.

The research into this subject shows many many women take a hit on their career as a result of needing to take time out for infertility treatment - and can't win whether they tell their employers (and get penalised) or try to keep it private (and get penalised). Anecdotally I've had a depressingly large % of women who've had to quit their job or been passed over for promotion. Unlike other forms of medical treatment, infertility treatment is considered elective - so although some employers have IVF policies, most employers won't allow employees to take time out for infertility treatment as sick leave, they have to use annual leave. After embryo transfer a woman is considered pregnant and has the associated workplace rights - but beforehand (when the time is needed) there's no such rights. Women can have years and years of fertility treatment, so it's not surprising how many women have told me they've either lost or had to quit their jobs. In an ideal world employers would permit flexible working and unpaid leave for those with chronic or acute health is, fertility treatment or miscarriage, or other caring responsibilities - which is very different to what's being proposed here.

bananafish81 any medical treatment, that goes on for years will impact your career. That's not exclusive to IVF.

You can also apply for flexible working for any reason, including all those you listed. You don't even need a reason to apply for flexible working. It's not always possible to accommodate, granted. But people can ask for it.

And of course maternity should only apply to women who are actually pregnant.

You are a lot less likely to get flexible/part time working requests approved if you don't already have children. One is not perceived to bed work life balance if you don't actually have a life I.e children outside work.

@serenDippitty it really depends on your employer and what you are asking for.

For example I've had loads of companies agree to flexibility in my start times and so has two of my brothers'. In my case it was due to hobbies while in my brothers' cases it is due to childcare responsibilities. One of the employers even allowed one of my brother's to take ad-hoc days off when his children were ill because his wife couldn't.

We should ALL be rewarded and supported in our choices in an ideal world.

I would like to see more protection for women going through ivf - as pp pointed out, there is little at the moment. It’s gruelling treatment but there is no protection under law - I would like to see ivf covered as being something employees must be given time off for (but not necessarily paid, like appointments for people with disabilities currently). Most illnesses which require treatment which is as involved and invasive as ivf would be classed as disabilities if they went on for such a length of time. And often ivf is required because of a disability (cancer). It’s not directly related to “me-ternity” but it is important.