A terrific new book is out from the impressive folks at A Better Balance in New York. It’s called Babygate: What You Really Need to Know about Pregnancy and Parenting in the Workplace and it does two things we think are important to be done together: helps new and expecting parents navigate their own workplaces for the best personal and family outcomes possible and explains why meeting the competing demands of work an family in the U.S. is so much harder than in other countries. It also shows us what’s possible and hopefully inspires readers to jump in and help modernize our outdated work-family policies.
From the authors:
Moms-to-be get tons of advice about what to eat, which stroller to buy, and how to get their bodies back after baby arrives. What’s missing is clear and comprehensive advice on how to keep their jobs during pregnancy and beyond. In Babygate, three legal experts share practical tips, real-life stories from moms and dads, and key legal information to spotlight the protections expecting and new parents have (and don’t have) in the workplace. This step-by-step guide covers everything from morning sickness to maternity leave to confronting discrimination on the job. With a clear, often witty, interpretation of the law and various employment policies, the authors explain how workers can advocate for themselves and protect their jobs and paychecks while welcoming their little bundles of joy.
Babygate arms readers with valuable tools, including a ZagatTM-like guide on parents’ rights in each state. The authors also highlight how far the US lags behind the rest of the world when it comes to work-life policies and invite readers to join them in making America a more family-friendly nation. No baby shower is complete without it!