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| Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's minimal maternity leave plan prompts dismay | Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's minimal maternity leave plan prompts dismay |
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| Yahoo’s chief executive, Marissa Mayer, has provoked howls of protest with her announcement that she is taking as little as two weeks of maternity leave and will be “working throughout” when she gives birth to twins later this year – with some outraged that her break will be so brief, others that she even has to talk about this at all. | Yahoo’s chief executive, Marissa Mayer, has provoked howls of protest with her announcement that she is taking as little as two weeks of maternity leave and will be “working throughout” when she gives birth to twins later this year – with some outraged that her break will be so brief, others that she even has to talk about this at all. |
| Related: Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer pregnant with twin girls | Related: Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer pregnant with twin girls |
| The tech company’s leader has been a controversial figure on the sensitive topic of working mothers ever since she was hired to turn around struggling Yahoo in 2012 when she was pregnant and quickly announced she would barely be taking any time off. (The announcement was followed soon after by a company edict banning working from home.) | The tech company’s leader has been a controversial figure on the sensitive topic of working mothers ever since she was hired to turn around struggling Yahoo in 2012 when she was pregnant and quickly announced she would barely be taking any time off. (The announcement was followed soon after by a company edict banning working from home.) |
| Now Mayer has revealed via Tumblr (owned by Yahoo) that she and her husband are to give their son a set of sisters when she gives birth to identical twins in December. | Now Mayer has revealed via Tumblr (owned by Yahoo) that she and her husband are to give their son a set of sisters when she gives birth to identical twins in December. |
| “Since my pregnancy has been healthy and uncomplicated and since this is a unique time in Yahoo’s transformation, I plan to approach the pregnancy and delivery as I did with my son three years ago, taking limited time away and working throughout,” she announced this week, with a link on Twitter. | “Since my pregnancy has been healthy and uncomplicated and since this is a unique time in Yahoo’s transformation, I plan to approach the pregnancy and delivery as I did with my son three years ago, taking limited time away and working throughout,” she announced this week, with a link on Twitter. |
| When she had her son in September 2012, she took two weeks of paid maternity leave, which was only a fraction of what the company allowed. | When she had her son in September 2012, she took two weeks of paid maternity leave, which was only a fraction of what the company allowed. |
| Eight months later and three months after banning telecommuting, Mayer announced more generous maternity benefits at Yahoo. | Eight months later and three months after banning telecommuting, Mayer announced more generous maternity benefits at Yahoo. |
| The company doubled maternity leave and now offers new mothers 16 weeks of paid time off. Fathers are offered eight weeks of paid paternity leave. Both parents can take eight weeks in the case of adoption, fostering or surrogacy. | The company doubled maternity leave and now offers new mothers 16 weeks of paid time off. Fathers are offered eight weeks of paid paternity leave. Both parents can take eight weeks in the case of adoption, fostering or surrogacy. |
| Perhaps in case there might be any whiff of taking liberties – and indeed Yahoo’s stock price dipped following her announcement – she added that she had shared the news with Yahoo’s board of directors and her executive team and “they are incredibly supportive and happy for me”. | |
| Speculation is now rampant as to whether another famous technology chief – Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook – will take his company allowance of paternity leave. | Speculation is now rampant as to whether another famous technology chief – Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook – will take his company allowance of paternity leave. |
| His recent announcement that his wife is expecting their first child was devoid of any details about time off, whether his board was “supportive” or whether he intended to “work throughout”. | His recent announcement that his wife is expecting their first child was devoid of any details about time off, whether his board was “supportive” or whether he intended to “work throughout”. |
| But his and Mayer’s latest news comes at a time when the whole issue of parental leave and work-life balance is a subject of intense debate and a number of companies, most noticeably in the US technology sector, have announced they are extending paid and unpaid leave for mothers and fathers. | But his and Mayer’s latest news comes at a time when the whole issue of parental leave and work-life balance is a subject of intense debate and a number of companies, most noticeably in the US technology sector, have announced they are extending paid and unpaid leave for mothers and fathers. |
| “Mayer’s announcement is disappointing,” said Anne Weisberg, senior vice-president of the Families and Work Institute in New York. “She’s a role model and I think she should take whatever Yahoo’s parental leave is – the mark of a great leader is that they have a strong team and don’t need to be there all the time themselves. And she’s having twins – just physically that’s a big deal.” | “Mayer’s announcement is disappointing,” said Anne Weisberg, senior vice-president of the Families and Work Institute in New York. “She’s a role model and I think she should take whatever Yahoo’s parental leave is – the mark of a great leader is that they have a strong team and don’t need to be there all the time themselves. And she’s having twins – just physically that’s a big deal.” |
| Weisberg pointed out that how corporate leaders handle the issue of parental leave is “hugely symbolic” for their own employees and, in the case of a female boss, women everywhere. | Weisberg pointed out that how corporate leaders handle the issue of parental leave is “hugely symbolic” for their own employees and, in the case of a female boss, women everywhere. |
| “She must know it’s not just a personal choice. I gave her a pass when she just arrived at Yahoo and then took little maternity leave, but now she does not have to prove herself as a CEO; the company is no longer in transition – but now people will read from this that if you want to be a leader you cannot do what your company even allows you to do, you’ve got to be there all the time and it’s work above everything else,” said Weisberg. | “She must know it’s not just a personal choice. I gave her a pass when she just arrived at Yahoo and then took little maternity leave, but now she does not have to prove herself as a CEO; the company is no longer in transition – but now people will read from this that if you want to be a leader you cannot do what your company even allows you to do, you’ve got to be there all the time and it’s work above everything else,” said Weisberg. |
| She said the institute will soon issue research findings that show men and women equally value a decent life outside of work. | She said the institute will soon issue research findings that show men and women equally value a decent life outside of work. |
| “I think that now it takes more courage for leaders to point out that it’s not ‘either, or’ when it comes to commitments to parenthood and work. It’s possible for men and women to excel at both,” said Weisberg. | “I think that now it takes more courage for leaders to point out that it’s not ‘either, or’ when it comes to commitments to parenthood and work. It’s possible for men and women to excel at both,” said Weisberg. |
| Kristen Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director of advocacy group MomsRising, asked why Mayer should even have to discuss her plans or have them debated. | Kristen Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director of advocacy group MomsRising, asked why Mayer should even have to discuss her plans or have them debated. |
| “When was the last time a male CEO was asked about how he would handle a new baby and his work? Men aren’t asked if taking a shorter time off will hurt the child. They don’t feel the need to justify themselves and explain their decisions,” she said. | “When was the last time a male CEO was asked about how he would handle a new baby and his work? Men aren’t asked if taking a shorter time off will hurt the child. They don’t feel the need to justify themselves and explain their decisions,” she said. |
| Her group is busy campaigning for more parental leave, and Rowe-Finkbeiner lamented America’s lack of federally mandated paid maternity leave. | Her group is busy campaigning for more parental leave, and Rowe-Finkbeiner lamented America’s lack of federally mandated paid maternity leave. |
| “We are the only developed country without it and that has to change,” she said. | “We are the only developed country without it and that has to change,” she said. |
| She also pointed out that Mayer has more resources for childcare than most mothers in America after her maternity leave is over. | She also pointed out that Mayer has more resources for childcare than most mothers in America after her maternity leave is over. |
| Technology companies appear to be leading the way with better parental leave policies than most. Microsoft, Accenture, Facebook and Netflix have all recently announced new policies on paid leave that are generous by US corporate standards. | Technology companies appear to be leading the way with better parental leave policies than most. Microsoft, Accenture, Facebook and Netflix have all recently announced new policies on paid leave that are generous by US corporate standards. |
| But Brad Harrington, executive director at the Boston College Center for Work & Family, said Mayer’s choices should not be questioned. | But Brad Harrington, executive director at the Boston College Center for Work & Family, said Mayer’s choices should not be questioned. |
| “It’s her prerogative as chief executive. The good thing about being a CEO is that you get to issue edicts and let people know you are in charge. If you’re going to be gender neutral, then her behaviour is not that different from most male CEOs, who take a week or maybe two of paternity leave.” | “It’s her prerogative as chief executive. The good thing about being a CEO is that you get to issue edicts and let people know you are in charge. If you’re going to be gender neutral, then her behaviour is not that different from most male CEOs, who take a week or maybe two of paternity leave.” |
| He said he interpreted the style of her statement on Monday as a desire to send a strong signal that she is “just as tough, just as determined, just as focused” as any other CEO and that people should not make assumptions about what women want to do. | He said he interpreted the style of her statement on Monday as a desire to send a strong signal that she is “just as tough, just as determined, just as focused” as any other CEO and that people should not make assumptions about what women want to do. |
| “And let’s not forget, only 4% of CEOs in the Fortune 1000 company rankings are women,” he said. | “And let’s not forget, only 4% of CEOs in the Fortune 1000 company rankings are women,” he said. |