martin b wrote:
My friend just got pregnant. She is the bread winner here for her family.  Unfortunately here in the Philippines women with children are considered high risk and cannot be hired for jobs. After she has her child she will be a single mother with no job opportunity.  My American friend is shocked that that is the case here. 

Women with kids are not hired for serious work because they are considered unreliable.  I wonder if it is the same attitude in the USA.

Yes and no.

Legally, moms are supposedly protected against such prejudice, but when it really comes down to it, the system that controls employment, work flow and how we work is not friendly to single moms and dads. It's very difficult to leave work when a child is sick, and missing more than a couple days will get you fired from most jobs. Even if you call in and explain the problem. Parents tend to need very flexible schedules, but most employers want to habe the power to dictate their empolyees' schedules. If one person keeps having problems with sick kids and childcare, they quickly find someone else who doesn't. While pregnancy leave is offered in some jobs, the amount given in the US is considerably less than in other developed countries.

Also, after a mom has a child and seeks to return to work, it can be nearly impossible to pay for daycare, considering the low/unlivable wages - not commensurate with cost of living - most working and lower middle class women (and men) earn here. Also, any gaps longer than a year in employment history can look bad on one's work history and also make it difficult to find work again after taking time off to be a full-time parent.

The law says all kinds of things, but society is not necessarily set up to care.