Final answer:
The term for employer discrimination towards women with children is 'motherhood penalty,' and it contributes to the gender pay gap and barriers to employment and promotion for these women.
Step-by-step explanation:
The discrimination that employers show toward women with children compared to other women and men as actual or potential employees is called motherhood penalty. This form of discrimination is less about intentional biases in hiring and salary decisions by employers and more about systemic issues within social patterns of discrimination in the United States, which often intersect with the roles fathers and mothers play in child-rearing. Nevertheless, the effects of the motherhood penalty are tangible and result in women with children facing unique barriers to employment and promotion, such as recommendations for a lower starting salary and fewer opportunities for advancement, thereby contributing to the gender pay gap.
Answer: C) Motherhood penalty