This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive.

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer Pregnancy Announcement Sparks Controversy Over Maternity Leave

She's expecting twins this December.

On Tuesday, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer took to Tumblr to announce that she’s expecting identical twin girls with husband Zachary Bogue. But while the baby news is exciting, the 40-year-old mom sparked controversy when she revealed she will be taking a limited maternity leave when the twins arrive in December.

“Since my pregnancy has been healthy and uncomplicated and since this is a unique time in Yahoo’s transformation, I plan to approach the pregnancy and delivery as I did with my son three years ago, taking limited time away and working throughout,” she announced.

Mayer was hired as Yahoo CEO while pregnant with her son Macallister in 2012. After giving birth to him in September of that year, she returned to work two weeks later. According to CBC, the mom used her own money to build a nursery for him beside her office.

Mayer is now being criticized for making the same maternity leave choice as she did before, with commenters arguing that as CEO, she is not setting a realistic example of work-life balance for other parents.


Others argued that as CEO, Mayer can already afford all the help she needs.



But despite the criticism, the 40-year-old mom has received an overwhelming amount of support, with some coming to the CEO’s defense.




In her final comments on Tumblr, Mayer wrote: “I’m extremely energized by and dedicated to both my family and Yahoo and will do all that is necessary and more to help both thrive. The future looks extremely bright on both fronts.”

What do you think of the controversy? Let us know in the comments below!

Also on HuffPost

United States

Maternity Leave Around The World (2012)

Close
This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.