Internet Culture

‘Don’t add random people on Xbox’: Man says he was fired after his boss secretly friended him

‘Apparently bosses do that now.’

Photo of Kathleen Wong

Kathleen Wong

Man greenscreen tiktok over email captioned 'Brandon, I was hoping to catch you before you left but our lawyers were unavailable for guidance before 4pm today. Upon advice of counsel, you are hereby terminated... for cause. You may not enter... have any personal effects here please let... Also, please keep in mind you signed... agreement. I am truly sorry it ended this way ... I wish you all the best' (l) man hand holding xbox remote holding it up xbox homescreen in background (r)

A man claims he was fired from his job after he accepted a random friend request that turned out to be his boss.

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Brandon (@placementco) posted the TikTok on April 30. In the clip, he says: “Yeah so I got fired from my job today. Don’t add random people on Xbox because apparently bosses do that now. And I’m work from home; I play Xbox, you know what I mean.”

@placementco Bruh… today is the day I stop accepting friend requests… #fired #coworkers #work #9to5 #corporatetiktok #workbestie ♬ original sound – placementco
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Brandon shares the email he says his boss sent to notify him of his termination. hoping to catch you before you left but our lawyers were unavailable for guidance before 4pm today,” it reads. “Upon advice of counsel, you are hereby terminated…”

“I am truly sorry it ended this way; I could not have given you more opportunity, kindness and flexibility,” his boss allegedly wrote.

As of Friday, the TikTok has over 143,400 views.

In the comments, TikTokers said this is why “I don’t add anyone from work on any social media or tag my job.”

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“This is an entirely new level of micromanaging,” another TikToker wrote.

Other people were suspicious of Brandon’s TikTok, calling it “fake” and “a really clever [ad] for this company.” As the TikTok handle suggests, Placement is a career coaching company and other videos on his profile are related to work advice. In a second TikTok uploaded on Thursday, Brandon talks about being fired for playing Xbox but “it’s all good, I’m hiring a career coach and I’m going to find a new job soon. No worries.”

Updated 1:45pm CT, May 6: When reached for comment, a spokesperson for Placement told the Daily Dot in a statement that while its TikTok account features “fictional stories based on real-life scenarios our clients have experienced, … this particular TikTok should be taken more as a parable and less as an auto-biographical account.”

“On our TikTok page we feature helpful tips delivered in entertaining, bite-sized chunks. Companies sometimes take creative approaches to verifying work-from-home employee productivity. Of course, Placement recommends everybody work during the expected hours agreed upon with their company,” the spokesperson said. “However, if an employee takes a break by playing Xbox, browsing Twitter, etc. they should be aware that their employers might see this activity and factor it into a performance conversation.”

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The Daily Dot has reached out to @placementco via TikTok comment.


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