A children’s clothing brand, Kyte Baby, is under fire for rejecting an employee’s request to work remotely while her newborn son was treated in the intensive care unit. The issue came to light when Ying Liu, the company’s CEO, issued an apology to the employee, Marissa, via TikTok. In the video, which garnered over two million views, Liu expressed regret for how Marissa’s parental leave was managed. However, the apology was met with criticism from users who described it as insincere, with some threatening to boycott the brand.

In a follow-up TikTok video, Liu admitted that her apology was scripted and that she was directly involved in denying Marissa’s remote work request. She expressed remorse for her decision, describing it as insensitive and selfish. Liu also committed to reviewing and improving the company’s human resources policies.

Marissa, who had recently adopted a son hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), could not be reached for comment. This case has sparked a wider discussion on the substandard rights and protection for new parents in the U.S., particularly for adoptive parents.

Responding to the backlash, Kyte Baby has pledged to revise its maternity leave policy. A company spokesperson stated that new measures are being put in place to better support employees. Despite this, Marissa has reportedly declined the company’s offer to return to her position. The incident remains a point of contention sparking a broader debate about work-from-home and new parent leave policies.