ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT AND JOB RETENTION: A STUDY WITH MOTHERS OF CHILDREN WITH ASD IN RIO VERDE, BRAZIL

This article investigates the tensions between atypical motherhood and the formal labor market, focusing on the challenges faced by mothers of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the municipality of Rio Verde, Goiás, Brazil. The literature indicates that the sexual division of labor has historically imposed primary caregiving responsibilities on women, generating a “motherhood penalty” that is exacerbated by the therapeutic and educational demands of autism. The study aims to identify the challenges these women face in remaining formally employed and to analyze their perceptions of the organizational support, formal and informal, offered by local companies. This is a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study with data collected through semi-structured interviews. Two mothers who fully met the inclusion criteria approved by the Research Ethics Committee (REC) took part in the study, reached through the Snowball Sampling technique. Data were analyzed using Bardin's (2011) content analysis, a research method organized in three phases: pre-analysis, material exploration, and treatment of results. The findings suggest that rigid working hours, the absence of structured organizational policies, and reliance on informal arrangements are the main obstacles to these professionals remaining in the formal labor market. The results are expected to support the discussion of more inclusive people management practices and of embracing family diversity as a corporate social responsibility strategy.