Nearly nine in 10 working mothers conceal their parenthood status at work while an overwhelming majority say they would choose a different career path if given another chance, according to a new report released Monday.
The survey by LiveCareer, a resume and cover letter service, found that 87 percent of working mothers avoid mentioning their children in professional settings for fear it would damage their careers. An even larger portion — 94 percent — said they would select a more family-friendly career if they could start over.
“Working moms are being judged not just on how well they do their jobs — but simply for being mothers,” said Toni Frana, career expert at LiveCareer. “This system doesn’t work.”
Career penalties persist
The report, titled “Motherhood on Mute 2025,” reveals that maternity leave continues to carry significant professional consequences. Among the 899 working mothers surveyed, 86 percent believe taking maternity leave hindered their career advancement or cost them promotions.
Nearly all respondents (93 percent) reported facing criticism for taking time off to address child-related needs, with criticism coming from employers (60 percent), colleagues (24 percent), or both (9 percent).
The pressure extends beyond occasional time off. Among surveyed mothers, 96 percent encountered resistance when leaving work at consistent times to handle family responsibilities, such as school pickups.
Perception and exclusion issues
The study highlights widespread perceptions of reduced professional commitment based on parental status. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of working mothers said they were explicitly viewed as less committed or ambitious because they have children. Another 18 percent felt this bias was embedded in workplace culture rather than expressed overtly.
Nine in 10 mothers reported feeling they must demonstrate their dedication in ways that fathers aren’t required to, while 95 percent experienced exclusion from networking events, team activities, or business travel due to their parenthood status.
Childcare costs drive career changes
Financial pressures related to childcare significantly impact career trajectories for working mothers, according to the findings. Nearly half of respondents spend over 20 percent of their salary on childcare arrangements, with 10 percent allocating more than 30 percent of their income to ensure their children are supervised during work hours.
These costs have forced 55 percent of mothers to reduce working hours or change jobs, while 36 percent left the workforce entirely due to prohibitive childcare expenses.
Most working mothers rely on family or friends (46 percent) or daycare and afterschool programs (32 percent) for primary childcare. Smaller percentages use nannies (9 percent), have a stay-at-home partner (8 percent), or attempt to work remotely while simultaneously caring for children (5 percent).
Mothers seek workplace solutions
When asked about potential workplace improvements, working mothers prioritized flexible schedules and remote work options (74 percent), subsidized childcare support (60 percent), cultural shifts to reduce bias (55 percent), and stronger parental leave policies (54 percent).
The survey was conducted on April 2, 2025, and included responses from 899 working mothers in the United States with children under age 18.
