Table 3.

Representative comments from 269 meaningful responses to the open-ended question regarding maternal discrimination or challenges in the workplace due to status as a parent.

Comment type	Representative comment(s)	Number of comments
Sexist, discriminatory or disrespectful comments due to maternal or pregnant status	Office manager commented that we should only hire male vets in the future so they don't leave to start a family. I have had clints choose other Drs since I am not as a available after office hours. I devote that time to family. A client actually told me she was appalled I chose to be a mom and a vet. She felt I couldn't do that as a vet since my primary duty should be to my patients as a vet and not my kids.	63
Pay or promotion negatively impacted or loss of job or not hired due to maternal or pregnancy status	I was fired from my last job 2 days before returning from maternity leave. I was replaced by the doctor I recommended to cover my maternity leave. I had been the only associate at practice for 7 years and no problems or anything other than praise until I announced my pregnancy. I watched 4 support staff get fired while pregnant or on maternity leave prior to me being fired. I was not considered for partner even though I was a high producer and had a large client base. When I asked my boss for consideration he flat out to my face said no because I chose the family track. At an interview, a male owner told me that I could never be a good vet and a good mom.	54
Difficulties around lack of a flexible schedule related to securing childcare	My Chiefs of Staff were fine with schedule modifications for employees to care for their own pets, yet considered it unfair if I needed to leave at a certain time to meet the school bus or worked fewer nights than the other associates (even though I had reduced pay due to these scheduling necessities to provide care for my child).	22
Lack of ability to take time off to care for sick children	The few times my child has been sick, I have been unable to care for her adequately due to lack of support from my job to help find coverage.	18
Other types of challenges around childcare	I requested to move my lunch break to the afternoon to pick up my kids from school, am so was told that I was “stealing company time” when I was simply moving the hour provided to me for lunch.	11
Lack of adequate leave time and/or pay	The biggest struggle as a mother was the length of maternity leave: only 6 weeks and unpaid. I work at a small practice, so being short a vet is tough for my coworkers, but 6 weeks was not enough time home with my baby!	46
Lack of appropriate time or lack of appropriate space for pumping	I'm having problems finding the time to pump as I'm not allowed to block out time, and when we get busy, that ends up dropping to the way side. I am also expected to answer phones and write charts while I pump, and therefore can never get a good letdown like I get at home, so I end up engorged and sore at the end of every day. My staff sees me pumping as an inconvenience and gets huffy when I ask them to finish things up while I go pump. I was shamed for pumping at work. I was told it was disgusting and reprimanded for washing my pumping equipment at work after pumping. I pumped in a supply closet with chemotherapeutic waste!	36
Inadequate safety accommodations	Unsafe radiation practices continued although I requested they end (rads taken without warning while unshielded people were in the way).	16
Regretted their choice to be veterinarians and/or were actively looking to leave the profession	I am actively seeking to leave the profession. The stress, lack of adequate pay, and time I am required to spend away from my children is not worth it. By the time I can get home from my job, there is minimal to no time to interact with my children. I am seeking to completely leave veterinary medicine. It has been detrimental to my mental, financial, and physical health.	5
Positive	I was working in a corporate hospital while pregnant and pumping, and I was treated with respect and given the time I needed. My short-term disability and generous PTO helped pay for most of my 12 weeks maternity leave. I have been very lucky to have a supportive male boss who allowed me with no complaints 3 months of unpaid maternity leave, pumping accommodations, and the freedom to pick the days and hours I wanted to work part time. It has made returning to work very manageable and he has beyond earned my loyalty as an associate to stay indefinitely with the practice.	18
Other	My work was supportive - more invasive comments from clients. Previous employer (equine private practice) asked that I give a three-year verbal commitment to not having a baby when I joined the practice.	38