Kyte Baby is embroiled in controversy over its treatment of a former employee.
Marissa, who served as an in-studio coordinator for the baby apparel company, said Kyte Baby denied her request to work remotely while her and husband's baby boy, Judah, remains in the NICU, prompting her to leave her job.
"It was never my intention to quit," the Texas woman told Today in an interview published Jan. 22. "I was willing to work from the NICU."
As the 26-year-old—whose last name is withheld to protect her privacy—explained in a GoFundMe set up in 2023 to help pay for Judah's adoption, her son was born severely premature in December and is being treated in a hospital several hours away.
While she did made no mention of her work dispute, the matter went viral after her sister spoke about it in a since-deleted Jan. 17 TikTok. Calls to boycott the company and debates over family leave and accommodations ensued.
For a full breakdown of the Kyte Baby controversy, keep reading:
The Hugheses Welcome Baby Judah
In early January, Marissa and and her husband wrote that they adopted Judah, who was born premature at 22 weeks gestation, weighing "barely over a pound." They said he was in a NICU nine hours away and that he would likely be discharged in March.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the chances of survival for an infant born before 23 weeks gestation is between 5 and 6 percent and survivors are almost certain to suffer significant morbidity.
Marissa's Remote Work Request and the Fallout:
Marissa told Today that she and two superiors initially established a remote work schedule. But Ying later rejected the accommodation.
'Hey, unfortunately, we won't be able to [make this arrangement] and for that reason, we will take this as your resignation,'" Marissa recalled being told, saying they added, "When you get home and you decide that you want to work again, we would consider taking you back."
In a Jan. 22 email to Today, a Kyte Baby spokesperson said, "Ying did not feel her job could be done remotely and if she could not return to the office after her maternity leave, then we would part ways." The rep added that Marissa was told "a job would be there when she was ready to return."
Just a few days before Marissa's interview, a rep for the company told CNN that as she had been with the company for about seven months, she qualified for two weeks of paid maternity leave.
Kyte Baby's CEO Responds to Controversy
Amid the controversy, Kyte Baby CEO Ying Liu spoke out, saying in a Jan. 18 TikTok video, "I wanted to hop on here to sincerely apologize to Marissa for how her parental leave was communicated and handled."
In a follow-up video, the executive admitted that she "was the one who made the decision to veto her request to go remote." She added, "I was insensitive, selfish and was only focused on the fact that her job had always been done on-site."
Ying ultimately offered Marissa her job back. "I understand if you don't want to come back to work anymore, but we will continue to pay you as if you were working remotely for us for those hours that you proposed until you're ready to come back," she noted. "Your original position is always open for you when you come back."
Where Marissa and Kyte Baby Stand
Marissa told Today she turned down Ying's offer and will not return to Kyte Baby. As she put it, "I don't think that's a healthy work environment for me."