Top Three Changes Women Can Expect to Face Under a Trump Presidency

As Americans head into 2017, there are a lot of changes on the horizon. After almost a year of debates on whether the house will sway left or right, the votes have been tallied and President Trump is officially in office. What’s next? 1851 Franchise sat down with SafeWay Driving CEO, Ann Littmann and FranNet Franchise Consultant, Terese McGroarty, to hear more about the top three changes women can expect to see under a Trump presidency.

Push for Female Business Owners

The number of women in the workforce has been growing consistently throughout the past couple decades. In 2015, FranNet saw a 36 percent increase in the number of female business owners, in comparison to an 11 percent increase in men. According to the Kauffman Foundation, women make up to 40.6 percent of new entrepreneurs.

“There will always be downsizing in corporate America,” said McGroarty. “Women are now realizing that business ownership might be the answer. Mothers who have children need flexibility and to not worry about what everyone thinks because they are taking off work to go to their child’s concert. Business ownership offers so much more flexibility compared to corporate America.”

For the females in the business sector who feel uneasy about new leadership and how that will impact their lives in corporate America, business ownership is expected to become more and more appealing.

“Women currently make up a third of business owners right now,” said Littmann. “I think more support with less regulations and barriers, it’s going to be interesting to see if the number of female business owners increases during his presidency.”

Paid Parental Leave

Throughout President Trump’s campaign, there has been a powerful female figure behind him –his daughter, Ivanka. As a female business owner with a family of her own, Ivanka has been the voice of women in a similar situation and was the brains behind Trump’s maternity leave policy.

The  policy includes six weeks of paid maternity leave, which is progress considering the U.S. is the only developed nation that does not ensure a parent can be home with a new child. It is not always easy to be a mother in corporate America where time off does not necessarily align with life events. With Ivanka living in both worlds, the world of a mother and a business owner, the time off policies are expected to favor women in business.

“Maternal leave has been a black mark on the U.S. for quite some time. A lot of companies make up policies and don’t have to follow any protocol,” said Littmann. “Six weeks paid leave for both maternal and paternal is going to be great. Having that accommodation for working parents is going to improve productivity in the office and improve our bottom line.”

Support in the Fight for Wage Equality, Though it May Take Longer than Expected

Throughout Trump’s campaign, he ensured voters that he pays men and women the same wages at his own company. During a Republican National Committee meeting, Ivanka Trump delivered a speech during which she explicitly stated that wage equality is a priority in the campaign. With several mentions towards the cause, females in business can remain hopeful that equal pay will come out on top during Trump’s presidency.

“I think women will definitely have more freedom to speak up for themselves,” said McGroarty. “There is no reason that women should not already being paid equally for the same amount of work.”

Littmann seconds the fight in wage equality.

“There has been a lot of vocalization around that point and a lot of attention has been drawn to it,” said Littmann. “It’s something people can’t ignore any longer”

With a change in office comes an opportunity for the country to grow. Whether the votes swayed left or right, with new policies, women in the business world can expect impactful changes. During these times of change, voices can be heard now more than ever.