Stimulus funds revitalize working mom's career

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By Argonne National Laboratory
April 2010

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act rescued Callahan from one of the worst job markets in decades. She was hired by Argonne in January and now works as a project specialist in the area of waste removal.

Laney Callahan was five months pregnant when she was laid off last year; her former employer had strong ties to the auto industry and took a big hit when the economy faltered.

Callahan was worried about looking for a new job, afraid her noticeable belly would make her an unappealing candidate. So she decided to become a stay-at-home mom until she could return to the workforce.

The loss of her income put a strain on her family's finances. Her husband had just started a new job himself—in sales—and wasn't going to earn a full paycheck for months.

"We're a young couple," she said. "We have two kids. We just built a house. I wasn't planning on quitting the workforce."

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act rescued Callahan from one of the worst job markets in decades. She was hired by Argonne in January and now works as a project specialist in the area of waste removal.

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