How the Motherhood Penalty Costs Women Thousands

Women at Work: Career, Leadership & Modern Work · Jun 23, 2026 · 5m · transcript

In this episode of Women at Work with Fexingo, hosts Lucas and Luna explore the motherhood penalty — the statistically significant wage and career hit women take after having children. They discuss the landmark 2001 study by Budig and England that found a 7 percent per child wage penalty, and contrast it with the fatherhood bonus, where men's earnings often increase after becoming parents. Lucas breaks down the mechanisms: lost work experience, reduced hours, and employer bias, while Luna shares a recent Harvard study showing that mothers are perceived as less competent and less committed…