
Nothing makes you take stock of your career path like being pregnant. That's especially true in the digital industry in a country that offers minuscule support for pregnant women and their families. I found this out firsthand as I awaited the arrival of my son while working as a contracted producer. Suddenly, rather than figuring out maternity leave, I found myself in a scramble to find a new job at six and a half months pregnant.
Initially, things were going really well with my client. I was in talks with management about turning my contract into a full-time role, so I felt comfortable enough to disclose my pregnancy. Originally, I was slated to continue working until June – right up to my due date. But upon disclosure of my pregnancy, my manager changed my contract end date from three months away to three weeks. Suddenly, my once chatty supervisor became unresponsive and all of our meetings were canceled.
When I asked for notes or critiques of my work, I was told that I was a stellar performer, which made the sudden end of the contract even more confusing.
It felt like I was being punished for being honest about my growing family and that my pregnancy suddenly made me incompetent. But the decision was made, and I had to start searching for a new job. My plans of stability — and my confidence — were immediately shattered.
In hindsight, I may have been better off cutting ties earlier than later.
Had things gone my way and I’d worked through my original contract, I wouldn't have been in for the smoothest ride. Being a contracted employee meant that I had to navigate my leave through the agency that placed me rather than the team I was on.
Most agencies require that you work a certain amount of hours before being eligible for maternity leave, so I would be doing some quick math and negotiations. If I was found ineligible by the agency, I had the option of applying for paid family leave through the state. But the income would be only a fraction of what I would make on the job. So I decided that my best option was to file for unemployment and search for a new gig like I wasn’t pregnant.
But even if I landed a job quickly, how would I plan maternity leave after such a short time at a new company?
Both things seemed like insurmountable obstacles. Add the health crisis, and things are even more complicated. What if we returned to the office just as it was time for me to give birth? What if they asked me to go to a location as I’m recovering? I had more questions than answers.
In my constant Google searches for stories from other moms regarding their work environments, I found that I wasn’t alone in my plight. Since the start of the pandemic, more than three million women have been forced out of the workplace, receiving little or no support for the added responsibilities of caregiving.
I have to admit, this was a tally that I wasn’t thrilled to be part of. But with my husband still working and unemployment benefits, I knew I wouldn’t be destitute. So I slowly waited for my contract to end and embarked on a job search at six months pregnant.
I wish I could say that the process was short, but months droned on and my belly grew by the day.
This is where I must say the extra $300 of pandemic aid did help boost my unemployment. I also benefited from my husband's hustle. He worked tirelessly to make sure our bills were paid, to save money – and he made sure I never went without one of my favorite meals: Chick-fil-A nuggets and waffle fries.
Another thing that worked in my favor was the shift to working remotely. With the sting of being released from my contract still fresh, I decided it was best not to disclose my pregnancy during interviews. Knowing all interviews were conducted by phone or by zoom, I didn’t have to worry about explaining my growing belly to hiring managers. Judging by my most recent experience, I felt like I should keep my family plans to myself. I didn’t want to be counted out before I was even able to interview. So I aimed my camera high and began a marathon of job applications and interviews.
There were days when I didn't leave my bed because of the fatigue of back-to-back zooms. On these days my husband would pry the laptop out of my swelling fingers to force me outside for exercise and fresh air. As my due date neared, I decided that taking some freelance work remotely could keep some income coming in and allow me to nest and have my baby.
It took some major coordination, but I managed to time my retainer payments to coincide with financial obligations and was able to meet a few deadlines early.
This allowed me to have my son in peace and not worry about straining the family finances to the wire.
It wasn’t until two months after my son was born that I received an offer to work fully remote as a digital producer. I was lucky to have an acquaintance who was assembling a team and was understanding of my many adjustments as a new mom. I joke that I extended my maternity leave indefinitely, but working with an infant at home is another article for another day.
Although it wasn’t a traditional maternity leave in any sense, I’m proud of my resourcefulness. And I would do it all again for my sweet potato.