New Father Fired For Attending Son's Birth

Community Rallies To Help Family

Lamar Austin of Pittsfield, N.H.is starting the new year with a new child and a new job.

The baby boy he was expecting. The new job search came as a surprise after he was fired for attending the birth of his son.

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Austin's wife went into labor New Year's Eve. He was scheduled to work his security guard job that night as well, but chose to be with his wife. "I couldn't be two places at once. I had to be at the place where I thought I was most needed - with my wife," Austin said.

Austin said he had only been on the job for three weeks and was told by his employer if he didn't show up for work by 8 a.m. he would be fired.

Austin said he did not think the company would make good on the threat, but has no regrets about skipping work to attend the birth of his son, Cainan.

The story made headlines twice: Austin and his wife, Lindsay, had the town's first child of 2017. Then word spread that he had been fired.

The community started a GoFundMe account to help the couple and since then Austin has received several new job offers, which he is now sifting through.