Don't make new mothers feel their jobs are at risk

While I agree with Michael Millar's concept of equalising maternity and paternity leave to give both parents an equal stake in childcare duties (Personnel Today, 6 November) what about the single mums who don't have another parent to share the load with?

After all, women are the ones who have to go through the stress and hardship of carrying the baby for nine months and then giving birth. Isn't it only fair that they are given more time off to recover properly from this, instead of making them feel like they have to go back to work as quickly as possible in order to save their jobs?

I agree that men should be given more paternity leave, but not at the cost to women of losing their rights to maternity leave.

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