Every year at Thanksgiving, inboxes fill with Out of Office replies. Sometimes they’re for happy reasons, family gatherings, holidays or vacation travel. Sometimes they’re not. 

What if we were honest about what keeps us from work or what pushes us out altogether, year-round? What if we told the real stories behind the auto message?

“I’m out of office because I can’t afford child care.”

“I’m out of office trying to find end-of-life care for my dad.”

“I’m out of office because I just gave birth, but don’t worry, like 1 in 4 working women in America, I’ll be back in the office in two weeks.”

“I’m out of office to take care of a sick kid and my spouse in PT, but, like millions of working people in the United States, I don’t have paid family leave at all from my job, so wish me luck.”

Or, “I’m out of office ‒ and like 450,000 other women this year, I won’t be coming back.”

These stats are all true, and for women pushed from the workforce, this is one of the

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