*5.1. Discussion of Study Findings*

Our research objective was to understand the underlying effects of various maternity leave support policies on the quiet quitting behaviors and mental health conditions of working mothers across industries. Furthermore, we examined working mothers' overall career experiences (e.g., peer workers' quiet quitting influence and supervisors' support for childcare) to gain insights into effective resources that can be provided to support a positive work experience for working mothers. To enrich the findings, we also examined the race and age differences that could affect working mothers' quiet quitting behaviors. To achieve the study goals, we conducted multiple ANOVAs on panel data (310 valid responses) provided by a national survey company. The study results indicated that working mothers who took maternity leave were less likely to adopt quiet quitting behaviors when they returned to work after childbirth and showed better mental health at work compared to their peers who did not take maternity leave. Mothers who received maternity leave benefits also had more positive mental health outcomes and lower rates of rehospitalization and infant mortality [54]. Mothers who were not provided maternity leave were more likely to participate in quiet quitting behaviors due to the challenges they may have faced of postpartum illness while trying to work at the same time. Our findings show that the top reasons why working mothers did not take maternity leave included financial instability and fears over loss of employment. Many new mothers who did not take maternity leave did so because the leave offered was unpaid, and they could not afford to live without their wages [55]. Paid leave, such as sick days and PTO, could be used; however, most parents choose not to, as they worry that they will not have the ability to use that time if their children fall ill [56].

Paid maternity leave was not found to have a significant effect on quiet quitting behaviors and the mental health of working mothers across industries, failing to support Hypothesis 2 which predicted that working mothers who took paid maternity leave were less likely to adopt quiet quitting behaviors in the workplace compared to their peers who took non-paid maternity leave and Hypothesis 5 which predicted that mothers who take paid maternity leave show better emotional well-being than their peers who take non-paid maternity leave. Rather, our results show a significant difference in the emotional well-being of mothers who took maternity leave (paid or unpaid) and those who did not take any leave. The reasons behind the insignificant result of hypotheses 2 may include: (1) paid maternity leave may not address the underlying structural and cultural barriers that working mothers face in the workplace. Even with paid maternity leave, working mothers may still encounter discrimination, inflexible work arrangements, and a lack of support for balancing work and family responsibilities, which can lead to quiet quitting behaviors. (2) Paid maternity leave may not address the financial and career consequences that working mothers face when they take time off for caregiving responsibilities. Even with paid maternity leave, working mothers may still face a gender pay gap, a lack of opportunities for career advancement, and a stigma against working mothers, which can discourage them from returning to work or pursing career goals. The reasons behind the insignificant result of Hypothesis 5 may include: (1) paid maternity leave may not address the mental and emotional challenges that working mothers face when they return to work after giving birth. The transition back to work can be stressful, as working mothers must balance the demands of work and family responsibilities, while also coping with sleep deprivation, postpartum depression, and other mental and emotional health issues. (2) Paid maternity leave may not address the societal and cultural factors that contribute to the emotional wellbeing of working mothers. These factors may include gender inequality, a lack of affordable childcare, and a culture that prioritizes work over family and caregiving responsibilities. However, the duration of maternity leave was found to be a significant factor impacting working mothers' quiet quitting behaviors and mental health conditions. Fewer than 12 weeks of leave, paid or unpaid, was correlated with higher rates of depression in new mothers [37]. At 11 weeks postpartum, the benefits of paid maternity leave are not yet evident, suggesting that longer paid leaves are needed to manifest the beneficial effects associated with paid maternity leave [56]. The average length of leave (paid or unpaid) among new mothers in Perry-Jenkins et al.'s (2016) sample was 11.4 weeks, with only 15% paid partially or in full [49]. Additionally, the average length of paid maternity

leave among women who received it was 3.3 weeks [55]. On average, most mothers took 10 weeks of total maternity leave, taking into account both paid leave and unpaid leave; 17% took more than 12 weeks; 43% took 5 to 8 weeks; and 12% took 4 weeks or less [55]. These findings provided a basis for Hypotheses 3 and 6 as mothers who took longer maternity leave would have better mental health outcomes than those that do not and may be less likely to participate in quiet quitting behaviors if they are not suffering from burnout. However, Hypothesis 3 was rejected, and Hypothesis 6 was only partially supported as our study found that mothers who took 8–12 weeks of maternity leave showed better mental health outcomes than their peers who took leaves longer than 12 weeks, suggesting that there may be an ideal length of maternity leave to promote better mental health in new mothers. Possible assumptions for explaining the insignificant results may include that taking longer maternity leave may result in financial and career-related stressors, which can negatively impact emotional wellbeing. For example, longer absences from work may lead to lower earnings or missed opportunities for career advancement, which can cause stress and anxiety for working mothers. Additionally, returning to work after a longer maternity leave may also be challenging for some working mothers, which may pose negative impacts on working mothers' emotional wellbeing and work performances.

Moreover, peer workers' quiet quitting behaviors and supervisors' support for childcare (e.g., flexible work schedules) were found to significantly improve working mothers' quiet quitting tendencies at work. Fewer depressive symptoms and less anxiety in new mothers was correlated with scheduling benefits provided by "family-friendly" managers once they returned to work [49]. The implementation of "family-friendly" policies has been shown to decrease chronic stress and improve mental health among working parents, while those who did not have access to benefits showed increased emotional distress [50]. There also exists significant differences in age and race in working mothers' quiet quitting behaviors at work. Black and Asian working mothers showed less tendency to quiet quit compared to their White counterparts. Younger generations in the workplaces showed a greater likelihood of adopting quiet quitting behaviors than older generations when they were faced with the challenges of balancing work and family tasks.

#### *5.2. Implications for Theory and Practice*

This research contributes to the under-researched area of the effects of maternity leave on quiet quitting in the workplace. Additionally, the study findings provide valuable suggestions for employers who struggle with labor shortages and prevalent quiet quitting problems in their organizations and sectors. This study also has practical implications for policymakers aiming to promote the mental health of the working population and create a sustainable and healthy workforce. Our findings suggest that mothers who do not have access to maternity leave will be more likely to exhibit quiet quitting behaviors in the workplace and suffer from worse mental health than mothers who do take maternity leave or are provided childcare benefits at work. Mothers working at companies that do not provide maternity leave or benefits are more likely to resign or begin participating in quiet quitting behaviors. Since quiet quitting is a trend that emphasizes prioritizing oneself and not their work, mothers who feel underappreciated and unsupported at work are more likely to quiet quit than those who do not. This idea is supported by the social exchange theory proposed by Bau in 1964 which states that employees who receive benefits from their workplace are more likely to approach their work with a positive attitude, and if this is the case, employees who have negative or stressful working conditions will have negative attitudes in regards to their work [57]. Given that quiet quitting is a fairly new trend brought on by younger workers feeling burnt out at their place of employment, our study provides valuable information that suggests a potential relationship between social exchange theory and quiet quitting behaviors. Furthermore, the social influence theory implies that an individual's quiet quitting behaviors may influence other employees to quiet quit as well. Social influence theory proposes an explanation as to how an individual is influenced by others in their social network to follow the normal behaviors in that community. Normative influence, one of the two types of influences mentioned in the social influence theory is defined as "the influence to conform to the expectations of another person to group." [58]. This supports Hypothesis 7 which predicted that working mothers who are exposed to quiet quitting behaviors within their workplace may feel as if they should do so as well.

While the FMLA offers job protection during the 12 weeks of paid or unpaid maternity leave, many working mothers who return to their positions after childbirth are viewed differently by their employers and will not be offered career advancement opportunities. Employers who offer job advancement opportunities and are clear about their expectations for working mothers may be able to decrease the job dissatisfaction that leads to quiet quitting behaviors. Further studies should investigate the impact maternity leave has on career advancement opportunities and job dissatisfaction, which are both factors that lead to quiet quitting, as well as peer influence between working mothers at the same job. If one working mother decides to quiet quit, will her coworker, who is also a working mother, be more likely to quiet quit than another coworker in general?
