Mothers are Black, Asian, Gay, Indian, Transgender, Latina, and Lesbian among other racial, ethnic and religious groups, as well as white, or heteronormative. What’s more, individuals from diverse cultural groups who are mothers experience even more bias and disadvantages than white women. This is what Reshma Saujani, author of Pay Up calls a “double whammy bias.” Indeed. Black mothers, for example, face possible discrimination on three fronts: her skin color, her gender, and now, her status as a mom. For this reason, DEI programs and training must include mothers.

Not only are employees vital to the success of the organization, they deserve to feel valued for being people. And no one needs to feel valued more than mothers. Women as employees are just as productive, valuable, and dedicated as men; that is not in question. The question is, why do workplace structures still exist that continue to punish employees who are mothers? Remote and flexible work would go a long way to show a working mom that she is valued, as an employee and a mother.

I’ve heard the horror stories, yes horror, of moms going back to work just two weeks after giving birth. I am appalled by this reality. It is not legal in the US to separate a puppy from her mother prior to six weeks, but a mother can be expected to turn her baby over to the care of strangers so she can go back to work? Incredible. Disappointingly predictable. In the US, the workplace culture of 24/7, always-on-or-available work mode can be likened to cruel and unusual punishment. Her body hasn’t even healed yet. And this little life she just birthed needs her physical presence for his very survival.