[ Photo (above): Madam Joanne Leong, 33, with her baby Jamie Chee, 17 months. Sheraton Towers supported her four months of maternity leave. ]

When Madam Joanne Leong, 33, took her maternity leave in September 2008, she was the first employee at Sheraton Towers to enjoy four months.

She had mixed feelings about taking the long leave as 'four months is a long time to be away from work, no matter which industry you are in'.

It also did not help that her maternity leave at the end of the year coincided with the busiest time for the hotel. She was involved in sales, which directly affects the hotel's income.

Being absent was frowned upon so much that her previous employer - another hotel - had 'insensitively' told its sales staff to 'plan their pregnancies'. But her worries were unfounded. Sheraton Towers not only supported her taking all four months in a block but also promoted her after she went back to work last year.

This article is first published in The Straits Times.

Is this article useful to you?