In a recent post, a former executive at Ivanka Trump’s fashion brand, Olivia Reynolds, recounted her challenging experience advocating for paid maternity leave. Despite Ivanka’s public persona as a champion for working women, Reynolds’ account reveals a stark contradiction.
Reynolds, who was two months pregnant at the time of her job offer, expressed her enthusiasm until she inquired about maternity leave. Ivanka reportedly told her that the Trump organization “doesn’t offer maternity leave” and mentioned her own return to work just a week after giving birth. This revelation is particularly jarring, considering Ivanka’s public support for working mothers and her involvement in initiatives like #WomenWhoWork.
Reynolds shared her frustration in a heartfelt Facebook post, which she felt compelled to write after seeing Ivanka and Donald Trump promote their maternity leave policy in a commercial. It was a painful reminder of her own struggle. “When I first took the job, I thought there would be support for maternity leave, especially given the company’s public image,” Reynolds explained. “But when I found out it was a battle to even discuss the possibility, I felt ill.”
After accepting the position, Reynolds and her colleagues fought diligently for eight weeks of paid maternity leave, a fight that seemed counter to the ideals that Ivanka publicly espoused. The #WomenWhoWork campaign claims to empower women, yet Reynolds’ experience raises questions about the authenticity of that message.
Reynolds criticized Ivanka for not providing automatic support for her own employees while promoting the idea of working motherhood. She stated, “If you truly believe in supporting parenting, it means backing maternity leave for all parents, including paternity leave and provisions for adoptive families.” This sentiment highlights the inadequacy of Trump’s maternity leave plan, which fails to recognize the diverse family structures in today’s society.
Olivia concluded her post with a rallying cry for women to stand up against the messages propagated by the Trump family. In a response, a spokesperson for Ivanka Trump emphasized their commitment to empowering women, yet many are left questioning the sincerity of such claims.
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In summary, Olivia Reynolds’ experience highlights the gap between the Trump brand’s proclaimed support for working women and the reality faced by its employees. The struggle for maternity leave at Ivanka Trump’s company underlines the need for genuine policies that support all types of families in today’s evolving landscape.