An American father who claims he was fired after attending his baby’s birth has been inundated with job offers.
Lamar Austin was sacked from his trial period as a security guard after skipping shifts to see his wife, Lindsay, through a long labour.
His employer, Salerno Protective Services, let him know he was “terminated” over text on New Year’s Day, according to local media.
“I just responded ‘ok’,” he told Concord Monitor.
“I was in the hospital, it was a long night, and I wasn’t trying to argue with nobody about a job while my wife was in labour.”
His son, Cainin, gained media attention as the first baby born in the US state of New Hampshire in 2017.
“Sometimes you lose something and you get something even better,” Austin told the Concord Monitor.
The father of four has since been offered at least three job offers and a Go Fund Me page has been set up for his family.
“No one should have to choose between their family and their job. Welcoming a new baby to a family should be a joyous time,” says Sara Persechino on the GoFundMe page.
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Denis Beaudoin, a local business manager, offered the new father the chance to apply for an apprenticeship.
“I know how valuable family time is, and if you’re a union member we incorporate that, we understand that, and we don’t penalise you for that,” Beaudoin told Concord Monitor.
Austin’s former employer told Mamamia his release from employment was due to “progressive reasons” .
A spokesperson said the timing was “poor” but “necessary for operational purposes”.
“Salerno will be looking into revamping it’s termination processes to avoid such misunderstandings in the future,” they said.
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Top Comments
No-fault termination is so shit :(
He skipped shifts. That is a fault. His company would have had to find someone to replace him at short notice. There are proper ways to ask for time off or to leave work once already there that don't mean just skipping.
Did he ask for time off? Did he inform his boss/supervisor that his wife was in labour, and ask for them to find a replacement? What if they were unable to find a replacement at short notice? Yes, it's an unfortunate situation, but the company was put in a bad position too, by not having an employee show up for work (and in security, too!). Someone else would have had to cover for him at short notice, the company probably lost money, etc.
Yep, that's my thinking, too. If he didn't advise them he couldn't make it - even a text on the way to the hospital/walking up to the ward - then that is bad of him. I think many bosses are reasonable if you let them know. This was also at a really busy time of the year, so it would have been disastrous for the place that needed security and didn't have it, and for the company who needed to find a replacement at no notice and when many people were still on holidays.
I was thinking there is way more to this story than just a guy not showing up to work.
It's the USA, anything is possible.