How hard do you have to work before it becomes too hard? It’s a question most employees will probably never have to answer. But for TikTok creator Justchiillin, the line was apparently crossed when his dedication to the grind allegedly started leaving behind something more noticeable than just a good work ethic.
The creator claimed he was fired for being “too musty” at work — something he jokingly blamed on simply working too hard.
The video quickly became a hit on TikTok, with more than 1 million views and over 2,000 comments from users weighing in on whether being a hard worker can excuse becoming the unofficial air freshener test for an entire office.
“I work so hard that I’m musty at work and now you want to fire me? B*tch, how you fire me because I’m musty?” the creator said in the video while being escorted out of the office by security guards. He continued, “How you mad because I work my ass off? I’mma take my work ethic somewhere else, and y’all gonna appreciate me at some point.”
@justchiillin #fyp Bih atp dis my last 9-5
♬ original sound – justchiillin
People smelled a lawsuit
The comment section, unsurprisingly, treated the situation with the seriousness it deserved — which is to say, not much.
Many users joked that a lawsuit was brewing. One person wrote that they could “smell a lawsuit incoming,” while another wondered how the creator had the courage to share the story publicly, writing, “The FBI couldn’t have gotten this out of me.” Another user pointed out that the security guards maintaining their serious expressions was perhaps the biggest sign that the situation was truly unbearable.
But could someone actually sue over being fired for body odor? That would ultimately depend on the circumstances. Florida is an at-will employment state, meaning employers can generally terminate employees for any reason or no reason, except for certain illegal reasons involving discrimination against protected classes.
According to family lawyer Adam Harold Sudbury, “Unfortunately, stinkiness/body odor isn’t a protected class unless there is a verified medical condition at issue which could be classified as a disability for purposes of the Americans With Disabilities Act.”
There’s no denying that body odor can become a workplace issue. It’s difficult to focus on hitting quarterly targets when part of your brain is dedicated to figuring out where exactly that mysterious smell is coming from — unless, perhaps, you work at a wastewater treatment plant where the competition is much tougher.
Of course, with TikTok, it’s always worth remembering that not everything posted online should be taken literally. A camera can capture a moment, but it doesn’t automatically capture the full truth. And just because someone says something online doesn’t mean it happened exactly as described.
He was confident
Interestingly, the creator’s later posts appeared to return to normal life after the alleged firing. He celebrated July 4, drove around, and responded to people joking about the situation. He also seemed confident that his work ethic would help him find another opportunity — even if his previous workplace allegedly remembers him for something other than his productivity.
