Mom fired for not having childcare

Lauren Martinez lost her job when her two children became sick.

When she asked about working from home; her former employer said "if you cannot come in due to child care…the position is vacated."

A POSITIVE OPPORTUNITY FORSTUDENTS WHO ARE IN NEED AND WHOHAVE A VISION FOR FUTURE SUCCESSFIRED FOR NO DAYCARE.

A LEECOUNTY MOTHER SAYS AT THE HEIGHTOF THE PANDEMICHER JOB FORCEDHER TO MAKE AN IMPOSSIBLEDECISIONAND THEN FIRED HER.SHE’S BEEN SHARING HER STORYWITH FOX 4’S RACHEL LOYD.0-:15:20-:35:38 - :441:20 - 1:262020 GOT OFF TO A SMOOTH STARTFOR LAUREN MARTINEZ AND HEFAMILY.

SHE AND HER HUSBAND WEREWORKING, AND SHE HAD JUST GIVENBIRTH TO A HEALTHY BABY.BUT THINGS GOT SHAKY AT HERDENTAL OFFICE JOB WHEN IT CAMETIME TO NURSE HER NEWBORN.

SHESAYS THERE WAS NOWHERE TO PUMPBREASTMILK IN THE OFFICE.I stopped nursing because I feltlike it was interfering with myjob.SHE SAYS THAT WAS ONE EXAMPLE OFPUTTING HER JOB FIRST.

THE NEXTCAME AT THE HEIGHT OF THEPANDEMIC WHEN SCHOOLS ANDDAYCARES CLOSED.

ON SOME DAYSHER TEENAGE DAUGHTER WOULDBABYSIT HER YOUNGER CHILDREN.BUT THEN HER TEEN AND SON GOTSICK.

SHE CALLED OUT FOR THREEDAYS, COMMUNICATING WITH HERSUPERVISOR EACH DAY.I felt like I should’ve beeable to take a little time offjust to get my children throughthat.REALIZING IT WAS TOO MUCH FORHER TEEN TO TAKE CARE OF HERYOUNGER BROTHERS WHILE DOINGVIRTUAL LEARNINGMARTINEZ TALKEDTO HER SUPERVISOR ABOUT WORKINGFROM HOMETHAT’S WHEN HE SENT HER THISTEXT.

"if you cannot come in dto childcareis the position isvacated.

Meaning you no longerhave your job here.

I’m sorry tobreak it to you in this way"If I would’ve known that askinga question would turn into melosing my job, in hindsight ofcourse, I probably wouldn’t haveasked that question.BELIEVING SHE WAS WRONGFULLY OUTOF A JOB, SHE DECIDED TO SUE.MARTINEZ’S ATTORNEY BENJAMINYORMAK SAYS UNFORTUNATELY HERSITUATION ISN’T UNCOMMON.These situationsdisproportionately affect womenwho are still traditionally theprimary caregivers.THE U.S. CENSES BUREAU HAS DATATO BACK THAT UP.

A SURVEY SHOWSwomen ages 25-44 are almostthree times as likely as men tonot be working due to childcaredemands.

About one in three ofthese women are not workinbecause of childcare, comparedto 12.1% of men in the same agegroup.WHEN SCHOOLS AND DAYCAREFACILITIES CLOSED LAST YEAR,CONGRESS PASSED THE EMERGENCYFAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT TOPROTECT JOBS FOR WORKING PARENTSWHO COULDN’T COME INTO THEOFFICE BECAUSE THEY COULDN’TFIND CHILDCARE.MARTINEZ SAYS IT’S UP TO HER OLDEMPLOYER TO RECTIFY THISSITUATION.I just want them to acknowledgewhat they did was wrong.SO I CALLED THE CORPORATE TEAMTHAT OWNS THE DENTAL OFFICEWHERE MARTINEZ WORKED TO GETTHEIR SIDE OF THE STORYTHEOFFICE WAS CLOSED, AND NO ONEFROM CORPORATE RETURNED MY CALLAS OF FRIDAY EVENING.

WE’VECHOSEN NOT TO NAME THE OFFICEUNTIL WE GIVE THEM ANOPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIRPERSPECTIVE.(LLTAG)MARTINEZ SAYS HER SUPERVISOREVEN ASKED HER HUSBAND TO DELETETEXT MESSAGES TELLING MARTINEZHER POSITION WAS VACATED BECAUSESHE COULDN’T FIND CHILDCARE.INSULTEDHER HUSBAND ALSO LEFTTHAT DENTAL OFFICE.

THEY’VE BEESTRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET,BUT SHE HOPES PUTTING HER