Heartless employer fires employee while she’s evacuated from a devastating hurricane

The recent hurricanes, Helene and Milton, left millions of people in a tough spot, forcing many to evacuate their homes with no idea of what they’d find when they returned. Except for one brave Florida man, who declared he would stick it out through the storm.

While some TikTok users chose to post silly videos during this crisis, others shared deeply moving stories. For example, TikToker @heathercaffeinated revealed a particularly shocking experience in a video where she announced she had been fired — via text message! Losing a job is tough under any circumstances, but getting that news while trying to escape a hurricane? That’s a whole different level of misery.

@heathercaffeinated was in the middle of evacuating from Asheville, North Carolina, when her employer sent her a text saying she would receive her final paycheck that day. But here’s the kicker: the paycheck never arrived! With only $1.24 left in her account, the news of her firing felt like a heavy blow. To make things worse, her apartment was still without power, water, internet, or cell service.

She managed to evacuate on Wednesday, but then she received another outrageous demand: to get her two weeks of severance pay, she had to return to Asheville — now a disaster zone — to collect a printer and company files, all within two weeks! Expecting someone to navigate a disaster area for paperwork that could wait is just unreasonable.

Fortunately, the TikTok community stepped in to help @heathercaffeinated. People offered her advice and support, suggesting she report her employer to the state and file for unemployment immediately, since they owed her a full paycheck for the hours she had worked. Others pointed out that her salary of $34,000 for a 25-hour workweek was below the new minimum wage standards set to take effect on July 1, 2024. This raised suspicions that her employer might have fired her to avoid paying the higher required salary. Sounds shady, right?

If the allegations against her employer hold up, they could face claims for unpaid wages. Additionally, there’s a law that allows for “liquidated damages,” which can double the amount owed in back pay. For instance, if an employer owes $5,000 in unpaid overtime, the total amount due could rise to $10,000.

But let’s look at the bigger picture. Hurricane Helene was a Category 4 hurricane at its peak and caused an estimated $38.5 billion in damages—yes, billion with a “b.” Amid this chaos, some politicians, including former President Donald Trump, spread false claims that disaster relief funds were being redirected to help migrants. Both FEMA and the White House quickly dismissed these rumors, but misinformation spread like wildfire, with some people claiming that victims would only receive $750 to cover their losses. During such a crisis, the last thing anyone needs is unfounded fear-mongering and division.

While politicians are busy spinning stories, real people—like @heathercaffeinated, who is literally down to her last few cents—are struggling to get by. If we can’t unite and support each other during tough times, what’s the point of being a society in the first place? We should be helping those in need, not adding to their burdens.