"But after her son was born in April 2022, her employer pushed going back to the office, an hourlong drive from her home in Snellville, Georgia. Then, her mom's arthritis flared up. Walker said she worked in a hybrid model for a few months after her maternity leave, but soon realized "it just didn't make sense, financially." The day care she wanted to send her son to cost $1,500 per month. Plus, hearing his cries when she left for work was unbearable. She quit."
"Economists warn the decision to step away, even temporarily, could have lasting damage on their earnings and careers. "The research is pretty clear that if you exit the labor market or take a step back when you're young, there are benefits to it, but they're not usually financial," said Lauren Bauer, a fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution."
Mothers with young children are leaving the labor force in growing numbers as child care costs and workplace return-to-office demands increase. One parent quit after her employer pushed a return to an office an hour away and preferred day care would have cost $1,500 per month. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show labor force participation for women with children under six fell to 66.4% in August, down nearly two percentage points year over year, while men’s participation rose to 95.6%. Economists warn such exits can cause lasting harm to earnings and careers; BLS notes the unpublished data use a relatively small sample.
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