A woman on TikTok says her job took a turn for the worse after her boss shared his screen with her. That’s because her social media featured prominently on his recent Google Search history.
Unfortunately, reporting the situation to her company’s Human Resources department didn’t help the matter. She’s asking the internet for advice on how to move forward with her HR complaint.
The TikToker’s boss shares his screen
TikTok user Devon (@dayswithdevon) shared her experience of working in a corporate job that left her feeling unsafe and frustrated with the lack of action taken by her company.
In her video, which has received more than 22,500 views at the time of writing, the woman details the troubling incidents she faced at work over the past two years.
Devon begins by sharing the first moment that made her uncomfortable: Her manager’s inappropriate actions during a virtual meeting.
She is shocked by his search history
“This all started probably a year-and-a-half ago… He was sharing his screen and went to Google something,” she begins. “There were so many Google searches of my social media accounts… my Instagram, my TikTok, my Twitter.”
To make matters worse, her manager had previously told her that he didn’t have social media. Devon believes he created fake accounts to look her up, which left her feeling violated.
“I remember hanging up the call, hysterically crying, calling my mom… I felt so violated,” she recounts.
The manager’s stalking behavior continues
Despite the incident, she decided to continue with her job but soon noticed more unsettling behavior. Over time, her manager started bringing her gifts based on things he saw on her social media.
“I posted a picture of vegan cookie dough… The next day, he brought me the same cookie dough,” Devon explains. “All of these gifts… derived from a stalking behavior,” she says, expressing how this only made her feel more uneasy.
Things escalated when she noticed her manager staring at her inappropriately during work.
“He started staring at my chest area… I wore professional outfits into the office,” she shares. “I shouldn’t even have to clarify that.”
Afterward, Devon says she decided to switch to only wearing crew neck sweatshirts to avoid his gaze.
The TikToker makes an HR complaint
Feeling unsafe, Devon decided to raise her concerns with HR, but she says the response was disheartening.
“My first conversation was met with this woman saying, and I quote, ‘You didn’t think to wear something a little bit more professional to the office?’” she recounts.
Devon said her manager simply denied ever staring inappropriately, and her claim was ignored.
“Can you guys guess what the outcome was? Nothing,” she states. “I still have to work as normal. I still have to go into the office.”
Devon also notes her request to work remotely was also denied, even though two other team members were allowed to do so.
“I asked to be a remote employee… They did nothing about it,” Devon says.
This outcome has left her feeling helpless, but she makes it clear that she won’t back down. “I’m not going to stop here,” she concludes. “I’m a strong girl, and I’m not letting this disgusting corporation take advantage of me. So, let’s go.”
How do experts recommend she proceed?
According to data from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), sexual harassment in the workplace remains a serious issue across the country.
Between 2018 and 2021, the EEOC received 98,411 charges of general harassment and 27,291 alleging sexual harassment. Among these, 62.2% of general harassment charges were filed by women. And 78.2% of all sexual harassment complaints also came from women.
While organizations like the EEOC and other advocates work hard to prevent these assaults from happening and assist victims, victims raise awareness online.
According to BT Law Group, there are several ways to protect yourself from this behavior, whether you’re a man or a woman in a workplace environment.
As a first step, they recommend documenting every instance of inappropriate behavior whenever possible. Afterward, they suggest reviewing your company’s policies and follow the steps they outline.
The next step is reporting the harassment to HR or upper management, with copies of your documentation. If the company refuses to take your claim seriously, it’s a good idea to seek legal counsel and/or file a complaint with the EEOC.
The EEOC enforces laws that protect employees from harassment and discrimination. If an employer fails to uphold these rights, the victim may be entitled to compensation, and the harasser could face disciplinary actions.
Commenters share their advice
In the comments, outraged viewers shared advice and support to Devon.
“HR is never your friend ever,” offered one commenter. “They are there to protect the company not you. I would ask to change managers and I understand dressing down due to him.”
“Talk to an employment lawyer, gather your info, and then talk to HR,” advised a second.
“I am so sorry that you’re going through this,” wrote a third. “I commend you for being vocal about this and [encourage you] to continue to be strong by not giving up. This type of environment is not professional nor appropriate. Stay strong!”
@dayswithdevon corporate america is unsafe for young women. #corporate #corporateamerica #hr #hrconcern #workplace #eeoc #employee #employeeconcern @The Employment Lawyer ♬ original sound – dayswithdevon
The Daily Dot reached out to Devon (@dayswithdevon) via Instagram and TikTok messaging for further information.
