The manager was generous enough to let her carry her child while working, but not generous enough to pay her enough to get childcare, or provide it themselves?

It reminds me a bit of the story of a mother going in for a job interview, and shortly after, being arrested for child negligence/endangerment, because she'd left her child unattended (in the same area) while attending said interview. This situation feels like it's setting up for that kind of thing.