One amazing boss's generous gesture for a working mom is both inspiring and instructive.
Tami Forbes is a store manager at Key West Key Lime Pie Company. Despite having many responsibilities, she was only making $300/week.
With eight-year-old twins and a baby on the way, Forbes was bartending on weekends to make ends meet.
Sadly, her situation is all too common. According to a Forbes article, the United States is dead last in paid maternity leave. Women who take 12 weeks are paid for less than eight weeks.
A Show of Support
On CNBC TV show The Profit, host and self-made millionaire Marcus Lemonis invests his own money into businesses that are failing. One episode took him to none other than the Key West Lime Pie Company.
When the cameras turned to Forbes, she shared the struggles and frustrations of being a working mom.
"That first month of your child's life is so important to have not only with your child but with your spouse or co-parent," she said.
"That idea that your family comes first should be more of a mindset in corporations and in small businesses and that's something that I feel has been lost."
Moved by her story, Lemonis met Forbes to share some news. Pointing to her belly, he said, "This is more important than any pie you have to make."
He then announced that he was giving her 6 months of pay along with a promotion. Forbes would return from leave running the location and earning $1,000/week, ending her bartending days.
Lemonis then shared a hug with a teary -- and relieved -- Forbes.
"I'm going to give you a cheque and it should help you just be able to rest and take care of your baby."
- Marcus Lemonis
Working Moms Matter
According to CNBC, 9.8 million working moms in the United States are suffering from burnout. It's a cycle that starts when they leave the delivery room, where they have insufficient pay or time to spend with their family. In this day and age, that's tragic.
While Lemonis's actions were admirable, hopefully in the future it will be universal. Ultimately, a worry-free mom makes for a happy household and motivated employee. Now that's a win-win.
There's already proof that investing in people is a winning business model. Beyond that, supporting families and the women who nurture them is also a winning human model.
We should all learn from Lemonis and support our working moms. After all, they're raising our future.
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