A mom’s reality of going back to work eight weeks after having a baby has gone viral on TikTok.
In the video posted four days ago, waitress Tiffany Rab, 27, shows viewers her outfit of the day. She admits to a friend, who can’t be seen on camera, that she “cried the whole way here” about having to leave her 2-month-old at home.
“Many people express distaste at maternity leave standards, but I personally accept the fact that I work in an industry that doesn’t offer such benefits and do my best to plan in instances of emergency, or pregnancy in this case,” Rab told Newsweek.
Rab said that she was able to take eight weeks off work by completing extra hours in January and earning money through her TikTok following.
As service industry workers, Rab and her husband’s top priority is to keep their two children at home, rather than rely on child care. “My husband works two jobs, and I work part-time,” Rab added.
“It’s not easy, but we have made it work, and I have been lucky enough to bring light to the challenges that service industry workers face, through posting on TikTok.”
In the United States, federal maternity laws primarily revolve around the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993. It states that eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period for the birth and care of a newborn child.
In the video, which has exceeded 1 million views, Rab tears up and tells viewers that there is “nothing positive about me working while my eight-week-old is at home.”
Many TikTok users commented on the state of maternity laws in the U.S.
One parent said Rab was an amazing influence for so many moms: “As a Canadian I couldn’t imagine going back this early but damn you are strong!”
Another mom from the U.K. expressed her sorrow for Rab having to go back to work after eight weeks, and a third asked whether eight weeks was legal by law.
Rab told Newsweek that, despite its issues, the service industry is wonderful, and doing this type of work will benefit her in motherhood.
Speaking of her role as a waitress, Rab said she disagrees with some people’s view that it is a bottom-of-the-barrel job.
“I wake up every day and feel incredibly blessed that waiting tables has put a roof over our head, food on the table, and diapers on our babies,” the mom-of-two added.
Filming herself at the end of her shift at almost 11 p.m., Rab shared that she made only $150, despite staying for as long as possible and waiting on every single table.
Rab said: “My husband and I have always been hustlers and, even if that means working at 40 weeks pregnant/eight weeks postpartum, I’m happy to do it.”
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Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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