A user on TikTok has sparked discussion after claiming that she was laid off without warning the day before her vacation was meant to start.
“I had been with the company for two years,” says TikTok user Steph (@stephdavidbaxter) “There were literally no indications that there were going to be layoffs on my team. I had a full workload.”
Her video currently has over 251,000 views.
@stephdavidbaxter Not how i thought my vacation would go 🙃 friendly reminder that corporations dont care about you as a person ☹️ anyways let me know if you know of any companies hiring #techlayoffs2023 #layoffseason #layoffs #losangeles #techlayoffs ♬ Sweet Sunset – Tollan Kim & dulai
As the video progresses, Steph explains that she was told “a couple of weeks ago” by her company’s CEO that he was trying to avoid layoffs and that her division was the only one in the company that was set to hit its target. Despite this, she was still laid off.
“I just like don’t have any f*cking trust for corporate America anymore,” she states. “My trust is just gone, because how can you look at somebody and say, like, ‘Your division is the only one that’s doing well, but we’re not gonna have layoffs,’ and then you have layoffs?”
The whole situation, she says, has left her feeling conflicted about her experience with the company.
“I feel like a little bit of a clown, because…I gave this company so much,” she says. “I canceled plans so that I could work late. I haven’t had really much of a life for the past year, and I let this company just burn me into the ground—like, I am so burned out. And what do you get, you know?”
Reflecting on her own emotions, she states that her worries are with the workers who are still with the company.
“I feel bad for the people who are still at the company and their workloads are kind of doubled,” she explains. “I honestly would rather be in my situation than in a situation where you’re giving so much to this company and…they just don’t care. And as much as these companies will say that they care about their employees, they literally don’t. They just don’t.”
In a follow-up video, Steph lays out some more details about her previous job.
@stephdavidbaxter Replying to @Rico plane ♬ Caramel Latte – Prod. By Rose
Steph is one of many who have shared their thoughts and experiences during ongoing layoffs in the tech industry. One user said that their layoff put them at risk of being deported. Another claimed he had just signed a 12-month lease before being told he was let go. A further TikToker alleged that they only realized they were let go after getting locked out of their computer.
Back on Steph’s TikTok, users shared their own thoughts about layoffs and the modern workplace.
“There is no loyalty in corporate. You can be replaced the next day,” wrote a user. “It’s sad.”
“I got laid off at the end of Aug, was there coming up on 23 years,” added another. “Super stressed on finding another job.”
“Corporations say employees are their best assets, until they get fired,” observed a third.
“In March of 2020, my manager said to me ‘don’t worry, you’re fine,’” recalled an additional TikToker. “Two weeks later I was laid off. I trust no one and nothing now.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Steph via email.