I think that the upcoming mid 20 something year old Kenyan career woman maybe be headed for extinction unless she makes sacrifices for her career. With the new labor laws that were passed in Dec 2007, a mother who is permanently employed in the private or public sector will get 3 months fully paid maternity leave, and still retains her 21 days annual leave. Previously a mother would get 2 months maternity leave and would have to forfeit her annual leave.
I overheard a conversation my CEO had with our HR discussing the new labor laws when they came into place, some part of the conversation that took me by surprise were the words “one has to be more careful now when employing”.
This month we had our annual appraisals and salary reviews done and reality sank in when one of my colleagues who is on maternity leave didn’t get a review on her salary. And during my appraisal my direct boss asked me “how do you want to advance your career? Or you want to get married” Which sort of meant if I am planning to get married and having a family my career would be as good as dead.
I see how this law was meant to help women out but its also kind of shooting us in the backs more- what a sad day this is going to be.
Sadly it means women now have to make hard choices and have good timing because at the end of the day whether we like it or not, companies are out to make money. When someone has gone on that close to 4 month leave they have to get someone else to carry the load and pay that person to do so.
You can get married but think long and hard about when to have kids.
hmm. this law takes peeps a step forward while taking others a few backward.