This is a long story, so buckle up.
I started working for this start-up a few years ago as employee #5. I was the director and grew the business exponentially. Earlier this year we had 50+ employees.
My boss was a nut job, but most of the time he wasn’t around and I was left to run the business myself which was great!
He was one of those “we’re all a family here!” people, but I can assure you that was not the vibe whenever he was around.
Well, then I got pregnant! My boss promised me a “generous maternity leave,” but whenever I asked for something in writing he said we’d cross that bridge when we came to it. (I know, I know)
My baby arrived a month early – surprise! I was literally working through labor, but when my girl was here and rushed to the NICU for a week, I stopped working aside from Slack check-ins.
While we were still in the NICU, I got a call from my boss asking when I was coming back. I said in 6-8 weeks and he said “and what, you expect me to pay you for that?” I said yes, and he hung up on me.
Then I got a text (6 days postpartum) telling me to be back in the office in 4 days or I would be demoted, lose WFH privileges, and receive a “significant pay cut.”
When I asked why, I was told this was due to performance problems, but he could not give any examples when asked.
Unsurprisingly, I declined to return on those terms.
It’s been 7 months and the company is down to ~10 people, profits are in the toilet, and if things progress it looks like my ex-boss’s house he built last year will be foreclosed on.
I’m making more than I ever have, my husband was able to become a full-time stay at home dad, and I work from home so I never miss any of my daughter’s big milestones!
While I still wish I had sued him, I’m glad karma is taking care of business.