Labor market: mothers still too often discriminated against

On her Instagram account "vorsorge_steffi," a Swiss financial expert recently posted a post on the topic of "discrimination against mothers in the workplace." Many women reached out to share their own experiences. One explained that she was fired on her first day of work after maternity leave, while others spoke of bosses who, as a matter of principle, do not hire new mothers or only childless women over 35, on the grounds that mothers are not flexible enough or that their children are often sick.

"The fact that women are disadvantaged in the job market because of their gender still exists," laments human resources expert Jörg Buckmann. He believes that some prejudices persist among employers, although sometimes unconsciously. However, the specialist doesn't want to tar all bosses with the same brush. "Most companies in Switzerland do very good work. But if 1% or 2% of them exhibit discriminatory behavior, that's already too many." His solution? "We need to continue raising awareness so that managers adopt a different attitude."

The Swiss Association of SMEs (SKV) points out that "in companies with only a few employees, it is hardly possible to fully compensate for a prolonged absence. Replacement solutions cost time and money. Moreover, trust cannot be built overnight." While SKV acknowledges that "much remains to be done," the association believes that attitudes towards working mothers have changed positively in recent years.

Contacted by "20 Minuten," University of Zurich sociologist Katja Rost concedes that "parents—including fathers—who take care of children are more often absent from companies." But she especially deplores a lack of understanding. "We don't value children enough, neither in the traditional way, with the devaluation of the housewife, nor in the modern way, with the devaluation of parents in the workplace."