Weaving in and out of the weeds of water coolers, small talk, and the one co-worker who grows mung bean sprouts in his desk drawer, the office can be a bleak place. Especially when their boss calls them at home.
This is exactly what Los Angeles resident Freddie (@petobsessed777) allegedly had to face in a TikTok posted this month. Receiving over 2.3 million views and 198,400 likes, Freddie sits with his phone held toward the camera, replaying a recent voicemail message received from this employer.
Freddie looks toward the camera thoughtfully, making sure to capture his electric pink cast in the fame.
“I know you allegedly broke your hand,” the voice memo begins. “The only acceptable reason to call out is an illness that is contagious, otherwise you are expected to show up.”
The California Department of Industrial Relations explicitly states that any employee can receive Paid Sick Leave (PSL) for physical injury as long as they complete their 90-day employment period prior to.
“I’m not telling you to feel guilty,” the voicemail continues. “I want to inspire you when one of our team members are down, the whole team feels it so call me back, let’s get the ball rolling again.”
“OK Bucko?” it concludes in a cartoony voice.
In a follow-up video to this original voicemail, Freddie records himself getting fired by his company in which they ask for both the “company hair-net,” and “company bowtie,” back by the end of the month. Though the voice leading the call seems to be both distorted and high pitch, almost as if done by a voice actor.
“Is your HR department run by the Muppets?” one commenter asks.
“You can’t convince me that’s not a cartoon character voice,” another states, receiving over 13,700 likes.
Other viewers didn’t seem to mind or notice the exaggerated, likely fake voices in these TikToks, and began defending Freddie for his inability to work.
“If my absence for one day is detrimental to the company, then maybe we need to discuss my pay,” a commenter states.
And while it is presumed that there is a high probability this voicemail is fabricated, the commenters standing in Freddie’s defense bring up a good point. The importance of paid leave.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there is no current federal law regarding paid family and/or medical leave for private businesses. And while some states have established their own requirements, more than 76% of private sector employees do not have access to paid family leave.
@petobsessed777 #CapCut ♬ original sound – Freddie
There have been advancements in important proposals within the U.S. House of Representatives as part of the Build Back Better Act. One aims to lower daily costs for working families through providing lessened child and family care costs.
Working families throughout the U.S. struggle to find affordable childcare, and with lack of national policy, employees often take unpaid leave. This can lead to disproportionate impacts on certain populations based on gender and household income levels.
So whether Freddie was poking fun at today’s work climate or if he truly struggles with a “toxic boss,” he managed to shed light on the struggles of receiving paid leave in the United States.
The Daily Dot reached out to Freddie (@petobsessed777) via the TikTok comment section.
