Stay-at-Home Moms Are Half as Likely to Get a Job Interview as Moms Who Got Laid Off

Both fathers and mothers who take time off work to care for children face more job rejection when reentering the workforce than parents who have been laid off or parents who are looking to change jobs, new research finds. Employers view stay-at-home parents as less reliable, less deserving of a job, and — the biggest penalty — less committed to work. Interestingly, stay-at-home fathers are perceived as even less committed and reliable than stay-at-home mothers. This could be because fathers face expectations to provide for their families and so people view stay-at-home fathers negatively for not adhering to these expectations.