Yelp Fired A Single Mother Today: Me

And I was pretty damn good at my job too.

talia jane I am the single mother #Yelp just fired for asking for an unpaid 3 day leave of absence to care for my boyfriend in the ICU. #yelpcares

I am the single mother who was recruited while being pitched ads for my brand new vocal studio in the South Bay.

I am the single mother who took out a loan with 300% interest to move to SF to begin training December 1st at Yelp and uprooted my 3 year old from everything he knows.

I am the single mother who closed her 1st deal on her first pitch on her first day on the phones in Yelp Sales Training.

I am the single mother who closed two deals with a fever during winter “break” while my co-workers took their days off for fun. I worked through and paced my time off into half days bc I knew I needed to save up my time off.

I am the single mother whose manager in month two told me that by using my last half day off we are allotted during training to care for my son who was having breathing problems from bronchitis, that I was putting her in a tough spot. I stayed at work.

I am the single mother whose floor director the next week told me that the manager has screwed up and they would shift my schedule a little to try and give me more time with my son. Because she TOTALLY understands the needs of parents and Yelp supports parents. They cut my lunch in half and said I could leave at 4:30pm instead. It didn’t do much.

I am the single mother who closed 17K in month one and 19K in month two. I am the single mother who gets to see her son for a few hours a night, pays $2500 in rent (I make 2k a month so YES, my family has to help and I am so sorry to burden them), pays $1200 a month in daycare (#yelpcares — no subsidy there)

I am the single mother who in week 1 of month 3 came to work with such a horrible cold I had no voice but only went home sick when I couldn’t pitch any more.

I am the single mother whose 3 year old hid her keys in the fridge on Friday and couldn’t get to fucking work.

I am the single mother who asked Yelp about how employees deal with anxiety due to such high demands, impossible schedules with children, trying to live on a base pay, and just last Thursday the director of the floor says, “Oh don’t worry, if you need anything just come talk to us.”

I am the single mother who had Yelp’s back because I thought they had mine.

I am the single mother whose boyfriend was in a horrible mountain biking accident on Saturday and landed in the ICU with a brain bleed.

I am the single mother who immediately told my manager and director what happened and I would be the one caring for him. They told me they hoped he would be okay, they were so sorry, and would look into options Monday.

I am the single mother who while in the ICU today got a phone call from my manager, director, and HR who said I could either come in now or resign. When I said I needed some time and this is all traumatic with caring for my boyfriend they told me that I would need to make a decision by noon and if I didn’t come in or resign, they would terminate me. In tears I said ok and hung up.I am the single mother who is wondering what your excuse is for this Yelp?am the single mother who is wondering why maternity leave was only 1 week before it grew to 6?I am the single mother who was the top of my class in training for you Jeremy and absolutely did not let you down but the way you treat parents as an employer is a little confusing.

I’m educated. I am capable. I am not looking for hand outs. I do not rely on the state to care for my son. My family needed me and you fired me Yelp. And while you use our lunch breaks for company wide meetings to keep spreading anti-extortion campaigns, let’s not forget everyone:

#YelpCares