A bartender went viral on TikTok after walking out of her longtime gig at Dierk Bentley’s Whiskey Row. In a nearly minute-long video, she alleged that she was punished for asking for extra bathroom breaks while on her period.
Jemima June (@jemimajune), a bartender and content creator, recorded her video right after quitting. She said that she walked out at 1:55 a.m., and looked visibly upset and shaken.
“This is the first job in my entire life that I’ve ever walked out on,” June said. “I’m on my f*cking period and I needed extra bathroom breaks and I just got f*cking criticized for it. I was told I had to leave my bar and do credit card tips.”
@jemimajune_ ♬ original sound – Jemima
Toward the video’s end, June confirmed that she quit Whiskey Row’s Nashville location. She also told viewers that she’d update them on wherever she landed next.
In an interview with The Daily Dot, June said that the night she quit “wasn’t the first time” a similar situation arose at Whiskey Row. She said that she and other employees had previously brought the issue of not getting enough bathroom breaks to the bar’s management.
When June mentioned this, again, on the night she ultimately quit, she said that she was retaliated against. She said that her general manager replaced her with a new bartender, and switched her to credit card tips as “a form of punishment.” June said that was her breaking point.
“Being so disrespected from a company that I work so hard for was the last straw,” she said.
As of Tuesday evening, June’s video had over 595,200 views. Indeed, in the comments section, there was an outpouring of support for June—both from Nashville residents who frequented Whiskey Row and fellow bartenders.
“Time for us to find a new favorite bar bestie,” one user said.
“As a bartender myself, I can say we’ve all been there,” another wrote.
“Their loss girl! Better things [are] coming your way and everything happens for a reason,” a third viewer encouraged.
“@DierksBentley you better fire the manager that’s running your bar like this! Best bartender you have buddy,” a fourth viewer said.
In an emailed statement, a representative from Whiskey Row expressed shock at the comments June made in her TikTok. “We always do what we can to accommodate our employees if they are in need, and this narrative flies in the face of the reality of the situation,” they said.
While her time at Whiskey Row may be over, June told The Daily Dot that she’s hopeful about the future.
“I’ve worked there for four years so it’s hard to think about not working there anymore,” she said. “But I’ve already had so many opportunities banging on my door since I quit… I’m really excited about what’s to come next.”
