[KindOne]

I'd argue that its unfair for the childfree people. I don't have or want kids so let me explain it from my side.

Why should I give up my social life and free time for someone else that has kids?

Why should I do more work so they can take time off to care for their kids?

The way I see it, having kids is optional in life. They knew or should have known the added responsibilities for when they had kids.

[ryoshu]

Why do you have to give up your social life because someone on your team has kids? Can't the business adjust its productivity expectations to account for a once in a century pandemic? And kids are optional for any given individual, but in the aggregate if no one has children society will collapse.

[KindOne]

About 20 states do not have familial status protections, so that means the boss can give me extra work while the person with kids gets extra time off.

https://www.workplacefairness.org/marital-status-state-law

https://www.abetterbalance.org/resources/family-status-and-c...

[ryoshu]

So the problem is the boss and/or the company, because they are the ones assigning the extra work, right? Just want to make sure we assign the blame appropriately.

[jackvalentine]

Formally or informally, it’s generally a societal expectation that the childless will pick up the slack in the workplace.

[toomuchtodo]

It’s too bad society couldn’t be more realistic, and sacrifice some productivity instead of just pushing the work around. Central banks printed trillions of dollars in a matter of weeks (incinerating some currency value) to keep the economy alive, this is no different. We’re still collectively optimizing for the wrong metrics.

[charlesu]

It is not really optional to adopt nephews and nieces when your sibling passes.

[KindOne]

Adoption is optional, you have no legal obligations to adopt them.

It is your decision.

[CincinnatiMan]

If your amount of work weren't dependent on your coworkers, would your feelings change?