A part-time worker at Eyemart Express filmed himself letting his co-workers off-camera know he is “going to walk out,” citing “problems” with his paycheck.
“I decided to leave my job today, giving them one last chance to correct their mistakes before I sue. This company is Eyemart Express,” text overlay reads at the start of @baroquebetch’s video.
He claims he has been working for “free” and that he’s “not getting paid my sick leave. I’m not getting paid my vacation leave.” He also says he is supposed to accrue paid time off (PTO), but the other workers in the video seem to refute this, arguing that because he’s a part-time employee, PTO doesn’t accrue for him.
The TikToker, who has over 90,000 followers, states he has “negative PTO,” meaning it will be deducted out of his next paycheck.
He says he’s going to give payroll and human resources a deadline to resolve his alleged issue. The deadline is his next shift, he says.
@baroquebetch #walkout ♬ original sound – baroquenviolin
The video has been viewed over 1 million times. @baroquebetch’s decision to walk off of the job was divisive among viewers. Some argued that part-time workers don’t get such benefits, and others supported him, claiming he’s “doing the right thing.”
He emphasized in the comments section that, at least in his state, part-time workers get PTO.
Responding to a critic who told him to “go get a different job,” @baroquebetch posted a follow-up. In it, he reveals the job at Eyemart Express is a side gig for him as he has a full-time job. He says he works at Eyemart Express once a week for some “additional spending money” and has worked there for under a year.
“In that time, they have continued to make the same mistakes regarding my paycheck over and over and over again,” he says. “Now that I’m in a place where I have a secure income that is not tied to this whole situation with this company, I feel comfortable actually taking the legal route to address it so that I can get what I’m due without fear of ‘Oh no, am I just going to lost my job?’”
@baroquebetch Replying to @Big Pun ♬ original sound – baroquenviolin
While @baroquebetch confirms in a different video that he lives in the United States, he doesn’t specify which state he lives in. According to Indeed, “benefits vary by company,” and “employers can decide whether to offer paid vacation days to part-time employees.” Paid sick leave for all employees, including part-time employees, also varies state-by-state.
The Daily Dot reached out to @baroquebetch via TikTok comment.
Update August 27, 10:32am CT: In an email to the Daily Dot, an Eyemart Express representative said the company is looking into the situation.
“We have recently learned about the TikTok videos and are investigating the allegations made,” they said. “At Eyemart Express, we value our store associates who are the heart of our company. Our employment policies operate within the standards set by federal and state laws.”
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