TikToker Orlenda (@peroicandoittoo), known as a money coach, utilizes her platform to help “women of color build a life they never saw their family experience.” She just turned a viral moment into a teachable opportunity for her 5,000 followers.
In a viral video, she told viewers she was laid off by her employer, only for that same employer to ask her to send it back her company laptop.
She explained, “I was asked by the employer who laid me off to call UPS to schedule my own laptop pickup – 19 days later.” She continued, “I said no to ‘free labor’. Let’s talk about the sneaky forms of free labor.”
Orlenda argued that asking her to coordinate the return of the laptop 19 days after her employer laid her off is completely inappropriate, and free labor.
She detailed the ways this request is an inconvenience to her. “My small town doesn’t have a store and roundtrip would be a 50 min car ride. While working there, I always used UPS and they pick up from my house when I need it,” she explained.
Orlenda said she is refusing to do what is being asked of her because “it costs money. … I am not paying for my own layoff. This is part of the off-boarding process, that I refuse to orchestrate.” She went on to define the “sneaky forms” of unpaid labor that are being asked of her that others should look out for.
Unpaid labor can be people demanding of “our time, our emotional capacities…Extra duties because of our gender or skin color: Like educating someone on history because of where we come from or planning a party because you are the women of the office.”
@peroicandoittoo My laptop had not been picked up 19 days since my last day and decided to email them. I was told they never scheduled the pick up after I advocated for myself that going to a Fedex or UPS was difficult for me. (What would have happened if I dint reach out? I wonder) My small town doesn’t have a store and roundtrip would be a 50 min car ride. While working there, I always used UPS and they pick up from my house when I need it. In the email I was told to call UPS to schedule bc she did not know how to do it. I kindly had to say that I wasn’t able to schedule the call because: 1️⃣ It costs money that I am not paying for my own lay off. 2️⃣ This is part of the off boarding process, that I refuse to orchestrate. When we think of unpaid labor, we might think: 🙅🏽♀️Taking on extra projects 🙅🏽♀️Working outside of our working hours But can we address the sneaky forms of unpaid labor: ✨Our time ✨Our emotional capacity ✨Extra duties because of our gender or skin color: Like educating someone on history because of where we come from or planning a party because you are the women of the office. Unpaid labor looks different. I challenge you in any situation to think, WHY YOU? #layoff #layoffs #lostjob ♬ Dinero (feat. DJ Khaled & Cardi B) – Jennifer Lopez
She continued, “Unpaid labor looks different. I challenge you in any situation to think, WHY YOU?”
Her video has over 52,000 views. Her messages resonated with viewers, with many sharing similar experiences. “Same thing happened to me. I set my laptop on my front porch and told them they could get it whenever they wanted, not my problem! They finally got ups to pick it up lol,” one viewer shared.
Others said they agree with her choice. “If they want the laptop let them send someone from the office to pick it up. I no longer work for you, therefore it’s not my responsibility or care,” one commented.
The Daily Dot reached out to Orlenda for comment via email.
