Former Ivanka Trump Executive Shares Struggles for Paid Maternity Leave

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In a recent Facebook post, a former executive from Ivanka Trump’s fashion brand, Lisa Harrington, opened up about her arduous journey to secure paid maternity leave after accepting a position with the company. Given Ivanka’s image as a champion for “working women,” one might assume that maternity leave would be readily available for her employees. After all, she stood by her father while he presented his controversial family leave plan and initiated the trending hashtag #WomenWhoWork. Spoiler alert: the reality is far from the glossy image.

Harrington recounted her experience, revealing the frustration she felt upon learning that Trump’s companies allegedly don’t offer maternity leave. “When I interviewed with Ivanka, I was two months pregnant, and when she called to offer me the job, I was ecstatic. But when I asked her about maternity leave, she said she’d have to think about it, mentioning that at Trump’s, they don’t offer maternity leave and that she returned to work just a week after having her first child,” Harrington shared.

Wait, what? The very face of the Trump campaign for women’s rights had to “think about” granting maternity leave to her own employee? That’s a tad rich, especially when considering the pressure many women face to manage work and family, often without the luxury of support.

Harrington, despite the initial blow, accepted the job offer and later engaged in a battle with her colleagues to convince Ivanka to agree to a mere eight weeks of paid maternity leave. It’s hard to reconcile this with the polished persona Ivanka presents as an advocate for women—if she won’t extend this basic support to her own team, how can we trust her commitment to wider issues?

This situation serves as a stark reminder that while Ivanka may tout family values, her actions paint a different picture. Her approach to maternity leave is not just outdated but also lacks inclusivity, ignoring the realities faced by diverse family structures that include paternity and adoptive leave. If her commitment is to support families, then it must encompass all forms of parenthood.

Harrington concluded her post with a call to action for women to raise their voices against such hypocrisy. It’s a rallying cry that resonates deeply, especially as we navigate a world that often overlooks the needs of working parents.

In a response, a spokesperson for Ivanka’s brand asserted their commitment to empowering women, but one has to wonder how genuine that commitment is when it doesn’t extend to basic maternity rights. For further insights into home insemination options, check out this great resource.

In summary, Harrington’s candid recollection highlights the disparity between Ivanka Trump’s public persona as a supporter of women and the reality of her company’s policies. If true advocacy for working mothers is to be taken seriously, it must start at home, with tangible support for maternity leave and inclusive family policies.