March 17, 2026

Made Redundant on Maternity Leave - The Story Nobody Talks About

45 minutes

What happens when the job you thought you were returning to after parental leave no longer exists?

In this episode, I speak with executive leader and solo mum Karis Dorrigan, who shares her experience of being made redundant while on maternity leave during COVID, and how that moment became a turning point in redefining her career, ambition, and life.

This is an honest and powerful conversation about the realities many women face but rarely talk about - redundancies whilst on parental leave, job insecurity, lack of support from employer, navigating the return to work, and the pressure to “be grateful” just to have a job.

It’s also a story of rebuilding, advocating for what you need, and designing a career that actually works for you as a mum and senior leader in an organisation.

If you’re returning to work after parental leave, or questioning what you want your career to look like after having children, this episode will leave you feeling seen, validated and empowered.

We chat about:

Karis's career journey from Qantas to executive leadership, and how becoming a mum changed everything

Being made redundant on parental leave during COVID, and what employers should do differently

How getting clear on your values becomes your compass for every big career and life decision

The systems and structures still holding working mums back (and the small changes that would make a real difference)

Why Karis works four days a week, rarely goes into the office, and has a no-meeting Tuesday and how she made that happen

The truth about solo parenting in Australia: 1 in 5 households, high rates of poverty, and why policy needs to catch up

Why you should stop being grateful for flexibility and start advocating boldly for what you need

Her call to action for every leader: would a single mum apply for this role? If not, rewrite it.

Episode links

Connect with Karis on LinkedIn

Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn

...more

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By Carina O’Brien

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