Mom returns to work!
Returning to work is difficult because of the emotions involved. Suddenly, I had to leave my child at home for eight hours and go back to work. I also had to arrange the best possible care for the child – says Dorota, who works as a human resources specialist at BADER Polska. In addition to concerns related to her child, she was also apprehensive about returning to the company itself. Many questions arose regarding her return to her position, her performance at work, and whether her colleagues/team would accept her again.
I was afraid that I would have no one to leave my child with. I did not get a place at a nursery, so I was forced to return to work only part-time – says Anna Białek, who has been associated with BADER Polska for more than eight years. Despite the stress connected with arranging childcare, she says that returning to work allowed her to take a break from the monotony of household duties. Thanks to BADER Polska (https://pracabader.pl/), she was able to catch her breath and, at the same time, miss the child waiting for her at home.
Career or child?
Many women remain convinced that it is impossible to combine being a mother with being a working woman. They often face moral choices such as: a conference abroad or caring for a child with a cold? Young mothers at BADER Polska unanimously admit that these two things can be reconciled. They also appreciate the role of their husbands/partners and their invaluable help in raising children. The only thing that can make climbing the career ladder problematic is the awareness of missing important moments, Dorota admits. There is a sense of regret that while you are away, your child may say their first sentence or take their first step, and you are not there beside them. That is the only thing I fear while pursuing my professional goals, she says.
An “ideal” mother and employee?
When “Instagram beauties” rule the world, showcasing an extravagant life in which they are ideal wives, mothers, women and homemakers, it is very easy to develop complexes. However, BADER Polska employees unanimously admit that “you have to relax” and try every day to perform their duties as well as possible, including at work. People become more organized. There is no time for idling – adds an employee of the human resources department. She also points out that returning to work can often benefit the child as well. Older colleagues, with whom one can talk every day, become a wealth of knowledge for less experienced mothers.
Maternity, parental or childcare leave?
After giving birth, every woman is entitled to maternity leave. It lasts twenty weeks, or five months. There is nothing to prevent part of it—specifically six weeks—from being taken during pregnancy. This leave can be shared with the child’s father, and after fourteen weeks the mother may return to work, waiving the remaining leave in favor of her partner. After maternity leave, parents are entitled to parental leave, which lasts thirty-two weeks. It does not have to be taken in full, however. This right may be used until the child reaches six years of age. The next type of leave is childcare leave, which, unlike the previous types, is unpaid. It lasts a maximum of thirty-six months.
Employment rights for mothers
After returning to work, the employer is obliged to ensure that the woman returns to the same or an equivalent position. If she is breastfeeding, she is also entitled to a break from work for feeding the child. In addition, she may reduce her working hours. That is exactly what BADER Polska employee Anna Białek did: she spends six hours at work instead of eight. A woman is also entitled to two days of leave under the Labour Code to care for a child under fourteen years of age.
Mothers at Bader Polska
Women working at BADER Polska are excellent at combining their professional and household responsibilities. They are fulfilled mothers, and motherhood has taught them patience and understanding. Work gives them an opportunity not only to take a break from household duties, but above all to develop professionally.