I was laid off while six months pregnant, under the explanation of restructuring and streamlining operations, yet just weeks prior, a new team member – someone I had interviewed – was hired into my group, unknowingly onboarding my own replacement.
My manager, who was aware of my pregnancy, had previously criticized me for taking bereavement leave after a miscarriage and for using sick days, both of which were within company policy.
He denied my request for remote work, stating that pregnancy is no different, and compared my situation to others with medical conditions who continued working in the office – all verbal, with no written record.
Communication around these issues was consistently verbal, making documenting or proving the discrimination impossible.
I later came to believe that this behavior was not limited to my direct manager – it seemed his manager may have played a role in enabling or directing these actions, making the lack of accountability even more systemic.
After the layoff, a colleague casually remarked, Maybe it was because you took too many vacations, reinforcing the perception that my protected leave was used against me.
The team dynamic felt exclusionary from the beginning – it was always the manager and his close group versus me.
As an immigrant and expectant mother, I did not feel safe or empowered to fight back. I ultimately signed the severance agreement because I needed financial stability during an extremely vulnerable time. I still feel sad for not standing up for myself, but I know I made the best decision to protect my health and peace.
My visa status made the situation even more precarious, and unfortunately, the layoff also caused my green card processing to be halted – a devastating long-term consequence that has deeply affected my future and my family's.
I continue to carry the emotional weight of this experience and the feeling of being helpless and voiceless in a system that seemed designed to protect those in power.
