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Full-Text Articles in Law
The Focus Factor, B. Glenn George
Re-Defining Superwoman: An Essay On Overcoming The "Maternal Wall" In The Legal Workplace, Nicole B. Porter
Re-Defining Superwoman: An Essay On Overcoming The "Maternal Wall" In The Legal Workplace, Nicole B. Porter
Faculty Publications
As Professor Joan Williams comments, most women never even approach the glass ceiling; they are "stopped dead, long beforehand, by the maternal wall." The maternal wall affects women with children in many aspects of their jobs, including hiring, promotions, pay, and even terminations. It is difficult for mothers to perform as ideal workers, because pregnancy, maternity leave, and the continual demands of child-rearing inevitably cause them to be absent from work. In addition, because mothers are not similarly situated to men or women without children, courts permit employers to treat them differently, which usually means they are treated more poorly. …