‘They fired me without even telling me’: Woman gets fired while on maternity leave, finds out about it from coworker who has been informed she quit

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Apr 7, 2024 7:00 AM EDT

It can be alarming to think that some employers have no issue with firing employees while they are on maternity leave. Even though most countries have laws against exactly that, unfortunately, it still happens to a lot of employees.

Which is exactly what happened to the woman in this Reddit story (OP, original poster). A few months after going on maternity leave, she contacts her boss to talk about her return to her job, with accommodation to her now being a new mother. Her boss probably didn't love the fact that the company had to make the changes, and even though she promised OP that she would be fine, that wasn't the case. A few weeks before her plan to come back, OP is visited by a coworker who tells her the boss informed the office that OP quit, with no call whatsoever to OP to let her know about the decision. 

Scroll down to read what happened next. After that, click here for a story of a customer who tries to blame a car wash for his car damage.

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  • 01
    "They fired me without even telling me"
    via Canva
  • 02
    Let go after maternity leave. Employer trying to block unemployment benefits.
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 03
    My maternity leave came to an end in January. I went into the office to speak with the manager in person about my new schedule. I also needed to inform her that due to my FILS health failing my MIL would no
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 04
    longer be able to babysit my daughter. Manager told me she thinks they could work something out, but I need to speak to the business owner.
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 05
    Business owner was out of state per usual so I called the owner the next day. I explained the same issue with my new availability to the owner. I offered a hybrid schedule as a solution or I could do only half
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 06
    of my original hours and do the marketing and manage our leads. Owner said we can figure this out and she will get back in touch.
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 07
    I was so relieved about things working out. Buisness owner called maybe a week later and asked me if i have figured out a solution. I told her my situation is the same. She said ok we can figure something out.
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 08
    So couple of weeks go by and I knew the owner was away visiting family so I didn't think much about the the couple of weeks passing. I got a call from a co-worker looking to come
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 09
    see the baby. When the coworker came over to my house she told me it was announced that I was let go. I was surprised bc I was literally waiting to hear when they wanted me to start back with them.
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 10
    I reached out to the owner she never returned my phone calls. I started looking for work and got a tentative offer for a wfh position with a nice company.
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 11
    Something got messed up with the background check. It fell through. I decided it's time to apply for unemployment. My employer told DOL that I quit the day I went on maternity leave.
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 12
    LikeABundle OfHay · 5 hr. ago For context, what country is this in? It doesn't sound legal.
    via u/LikeABundleOfHay
  • 13
    Mysterious_Quality29 OP. 4 hr. ago USA
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 14
    braintamale76.5 hr. ago Paperwork and emails are your friend
    via u/braintamale76
  • 15
    Apprehensive Cow1242. 5 hr. ago Been through something similar. Employer had no documentation of me quitting. Just had to wait for the process.
    via u/Apprehensive_Cow1242
  • 16
    Mysterious_Quality29 OP 4 hr. ago I'm sorry you went through a similar situation. Did it take a long time to resolve?
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 17
    Apprehensive Cow1242. 3 hr. ago Nah. I told the unemployment office they just let me go with no reason given. The employer had no documentation of any cause when unemployment office asked. So I got the benefits.
    via u/Apprehensive_Cow1242
  • 18
    PatientAd4823. 5 hr. ago Omg. Wow! Sounds like an attorney's dream case. I can hear one question for the judge, "Why would my pregnant client work right up until her maternity leave and quit? Does that make one tiny
    via u/PatientAd4823
  • 19
    bit of sense. Further, she is here now, wanting to work. You won't permit her to and she has no write ups. Ladies and Gentlemen, something is rotten in Denmark."
    via u/PatientAd4823
  • 20
    Sir_Stash 5 hr. ago This was questionable about how much you could do at first as you were claiming you could only work half your hours and your situation changed significantly. Then you said this:
    via u/Sir_Stash
  • 21
    My employer told DOL that I quit the day I went on maternity leave. Take that to an employment lawyer. Assuming you have the paperwork for your maternity leave, they will tear your former employer to pieces.
    via u/Sir_Stash
  • 22
    Mysterious_Quality29 OP. 4 hr. ago I do have the paperwork from my maternity leave. Unfortunately i think you are right, i may have to speak to a lawyer. Just to clarify about the
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 23
    schedule... I did offer her full time hours but that schedule would have to be hybrid. The part time was an option I thought was a good compromise for her to consider if she wasn't a fan of hybrid work.
    via u/Mysterious_Quality29
  • 24
    Dizyupthegirl. 3 hr. ago Oof, employer seed up. They literally had the documentation essentially saying you couldn't return to the job responsibilities you were
    via u/Dizyupthegirl
  • 25
    on leave for. They could have used all that to deny you, they don't have to make the position suit your new needs. But to your benefit, they ruined their stance and now you have the upper hand.
    via u/Dizyupthegirl

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