It is reality. It does happen, that you're a smallbusiness owner, and somebody you used to hire 6 years ago shows up. She's back from maternity leave. And you have to rehire her, increase her salary to present level, pay her 4 months of fully paid vacation. And either grow your company - if you can -, or make room for her. How? By laying off somebody else. Maybe the one who had to hire when your employee 6 years ago went left to raise children. This is not a 'pessimistic view', this is what happens all the time.
Re [sic]: "they will just steal my ideas...", "women will take 6 year vacations (out of spite?)", etc.