Amid the Kyte Baby Controversy, the well-known baby clothing company is battling to prevent a boycott.
This comes after an employee's family revealed that she had to quit her job to be with her premature newborn at the hospital.
Kyte Baby Controversy: Employee's Job Loss Sparks Social Media Support
In a heartfelt message on Friday, Marissa Hughes expressed her gratitude to the people who rallied behind her during a challenging time. Her public message followed her departure from the clothing brand Kyte Baby.
Hughes' family revealed that she lost her job because she chose to continue caring for her newly adopted, premature son instead of returning from maternity leave. Their child, who weighed only 1 pound, was receiving critical care at a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) located nine hours away from their Dallas home.
Under Kyte Baby's policy, employees with at least six months of service are entitled to a two-week paid leave. However, Marissa Hughes, who met this criteria, faced a setback when her plea to work from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was turned down as her initial leave period ended.
The company faced a rapid and widespread online backlash as Marissa Hughes' story gained viral attention.
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CEO Issues Apologies Over Employee's Remote Work Request Denial
In two heartfelt apologies, Ying Liu, the CEO and founder of Kyte Baby, expressed her regret for denying an employee's plea to work remotely while taking care of her newly adopted, premature son.
Ying Liu initiated her apologies through TikTok, where she addressed Marissa Hughes, a former Kyte Baby employee terminated after seeking permission to work from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a Texas hospital. Liu's first apology was posted on Wednesday.
"I want to hop on here to sincerely apologize to Marissa for how her parental leave was communicated and handled amid her incredible journey of adopting and starting a family," Liu stated.
Liu emphasized the company's commitment to being family-oriented and treating all parents equally, regardless of biological or non-biological status.
In response to the controversy, Liu apologized to Kyte Baby's customers, pledging to scrutinize the company's human resources policies to prevent any future harm to employees and the community.
However, Liu's statement received criticism on TikTok, with many viewers finding her delivery rehearsed and insincere. Numerous mothers expressed their disappointment by making videos declaring their intention to boycott Kyte Baby despite being loyal customers in the past.
Liu issued a second apology on the same day, acknowledging the lack of sincerity in her initial statement. She candidly admitted to scripting her first apology on TikTok, recognizing that it came across as insincere and memorized.
In her unscripted apology, Liu accepted full responsibility for vetoing Marissa's request to work remotely while her adopted baby was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). She expressed remorse for her insensitivity, selfishness, and failure to consider the possibility of remote work, focusing solely on the traditional on-site arrangement.
Liu empathized with the stress Marissa faced, unable to return to work while caring for her newborn in the NICU, and she took complete ownership of her mistake.
She also addressed the perception of trying to save face, emphasizing her role as a mother and female business owner, acknowledging the impact of her actions, and apologizing for not reaching out to Marissa sooner.
Liu concluded by praising Marissa as an exceptional individual, expressing her fondness as a colleague, and conveying her deep regret over the situation.
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