COVID-19 has caused chaos and disruption in the workplace forcing many moms to adjust to the challenge of working from home – AND caring for their little ones fulltime!
One would think bosses would have flexibility with their employees as everyone works to adapt to the new working environment – but one cold-hearted boss set this mom up for failure – and then fired her.
And once you hear the reason why this hard-working mama was let go – you’re bound to be outraged.
This young mom recalls the stress she faced having to balance unrealistic work expectations while caring for her little ones.
From having to nurse her baby and answer emails at the same time – it all seemed like too much.
Nonetheless, this mom pushed on and met all her deadlines receiving no complaints from her clients.
Her boss on the other hand was not happy he would occasionally hear her children in the background during conference calls – and continued to make multiple comments warning her to “figure out” how to keep them quiet.
Looking for a solution, the mom adjusted her own son’s nap time, and notified her boss she’d be free from 1pm-4pm to take phone calls with limited background noise (of course pending her little one didn’t wake up).
Instead of appreciating her hard-work and flexibility, he refused to accommodate her.
In fact, he actually continued to schedule all her calls around lunchtime – almost daring this weary mama to choose between work and feeding her own children.
Scary Mommy reported:
“He ignored my schedule, continuing to arrange calls during my lunchtime when both of my kids were hungry and impatient. The constant harassment of him “reminding” me that he was not okay with kids in the background on client calls continued until May. Even so, I continued to perform well with no complaints from my clients. I was meeting the deadlines and getting the work done. I worked the hardest I ever have in my entire career.
At one point in late May, things started escalating. He told me, “We can’t keep accommodating your work schedule. We can’t have client calls with kids or noise in the background. No other account executive on the team has this issue. Your role as an account executive is to be present to our client, so you need to take care of your kid situation.”
The weary mama was desperate, but held her ground and communicated to her boss she wouldn’t lock her children in a room to keep them quiet.
Naturally, she was upset her boss dismissed her request to schedule calls during this timeframe and told her coldly to “figure it out” while assigning her training to teach her “time management” skills.
Of course, this mom was put in a tough situation – she didn’t have childcare but still had to work.
What’s a mom to do?
She did everything she could – from move her son’s naptime to attend all the “training” she was assigned.
Reaching out to HR as a last straw for help hoping they’d help with a resolution, she was told every story has “two sides” and then heard the unthinkable.
Instead of a solution – she was fired.
And of course, when she tried to ask questions, the company blamed it on reduced revenue due to COVID-19.
Scary Mommy continued:
“I was in complete shock. This company’s executive leadership had emailed us that they understand it’s hard to work from home with kids, that we are providing exceptional work, and that we are all in this together. How does a company who preaches that they care about their parent employees fire one who performs well consistently? I reached out to human resources on May 26 for help with the obvious discrimination to me as a mother and the harassment that I have dealing with directly the previous three months — and seven days later I’m fired for speaking up? That’s not okay.”
This mom should have her job back immediately, and her boss should face repercussions for blatant discrimination.
Moms should not be punished for feeding and taking care of their children – and it was clear this hard-working mama was meeting her deadlines without issue.
Instead of being applauded, she was fired, all because her kids were heard in the background of calls.
Sadly, the workforce still discriminates against moms, more so than we’d all like to admit.
To all the moms wearing two hats – we applaud you and we support you fully.
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