A TikTok video shared by @euphoriafaith, which has generated close to 890,000 views and 2,452 comments, describes her awful experience with a manager at a cooking job she landed at her daughter's school. She explained that one of the main reasons she chose the job was because her daughter was going through a rough time, and she wanted to be nearby to support her. But when her manager kept targeting her over her nail style, she felt it was a personal attack.
The creator explained that she had to work around her daughter's school schedule, and the position as a cook at her school made that possible. She said the school did not have a management position available, so she had to take a lower-level position and work under a manager who disliked her from the start.
She then mentioned that people in positions of authority at work always seem to have a problem with her because she's not a pushover and speaks candidly. The creator went on to explain that, during the orientation meeting for the cooking position, the topic of nails came up. The HR manager made it clear that French tips were allowed.
So, she got French tips done and went to work. But immediately upon arriving, she said the kitchen manager told her she couldn't wear that nail style. She explained that HR had approved them, so she didn't understand what the issue was. But the kitchen manager replied, "That's their policy. This is our policy."
Euphoria couldn't understand why there were different policies when the HR manager had already given her the stamp of approval. Nevertheless, not wanting to stir up trouble, she had her French tips removed and got a manicure instead, with her nails filed down. She explained that she had a wedding to attend and refused to go with dirty nails.
Despite Changing Her Nail Style, the Manager Told Her to Leave the Job
Before she could clock in the following day, Euphoria said the manager wasted no time telling her that she needed to leave immediately. The video creator asked her why, and the manager explained that her nails were fake tips and not her natural nails, meaning she wouldn't be able to work in the kitchen.
But Euphoria argued that her nails were indeed natural, even though they had been powdered and shaped. They were not tips glued onto her nails. Additionally, the staff always wore gloves, so the food would be protected. Euphoria went on to say that she told the manager she didn't think her nails were the real problem, but that the manager had a personal issue with her.
She continued by telling the manager that she wasn't doing a good job and wasn't good at inspiring teamwork. Euphoria explained that when she first arrived, the other kitchen staff seemed unmotivated and dreary. But she began doing things to positively change the environment, such as writing a "Quote of the Day" on the whiteboard to encourage the staff. She said the staff gave her positive feedback about the quotes.
But when the manager saw it, all she asked was, "Where did you get an Expo marker from?" Euphoria said it was clear that the manager wasn't thrilled about the quotes. That became even more apparent the following day, when she wiped the message off the whiteboard.
Ultimately, the manager asked her to leave, and Euphoria said she gave the manager a copy of the conversation she had had with the HR manager.
Reacting to the video, many of the commenters applauded her for standing up to her manager. However, others advised her not to confront HR about the matter, because they would always protect the establishment and not the employee.
One commenter advised her to file a complaint. They wrote, "Request to see the policy. Then I would file a EEO complaint for hostile work environment. Something's just not okay."
Another commenter wrote, "HR is there to protect the company, not the employee. Don't do it girl."
A separate commenter said she should confirm the rules with her local health department. She wrote, "Lunch lady here! Check with your local health department. See what their policies are. I just found out I can wear nail polish!"
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made in the video, which are based solely on Euphoria's account shared on her official TikTok account, @euphoriafaith.
