Walmart Employee is Fired After 16 Years of Service For Exposing Awful Working Conditions Online

By: Riley Brown | Last updated: Oct 25, 2023

After 16 years of loyal service as an employee and even an employee coach, TikTok user who goes by the name @stephunleashed has been fired for sharing videos of her experience at Walmart.

The viral video and several others that she posted to explain the situation have received millions of views and a variety of comments and concerns from the public.

What Did the Video Actually Show?

The TikTok that got Steph fired showed her during Walmart’s inventory process, where employees had to scan and count every item in the store. The process was grueling and took several 13-hour work days to complete.

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Source: @stephunleashed/TikTok

Apparently, there was a second video that contributed to her termination that showed all the refrigerators empty and broken, telling followers not to come to Walmart.

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What Do TikTok Users Have to Say?

The videos sparked support from users who don’t understand why Walmart would fire her for this content. However, some comments weren’t as supportive and blamed Steph for complaining about simply doing her job.

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Souce: @stephunleashed/TikTok

While some argue that Steph broke her contract with Walmart by sharing the video, she claims that she never signed any contract with those restrictions.

How Is Steph Responding?

On January 9, 2023, Steph first revealed her termination, followed by a video in which she tosses her blue Walmart employee t-shirt in a fire pit and soaks it in lighter fluid. The caption states, “F*** what I said #free.”

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Souce: @stephunleashed/TikTok

Steph also stated that while she thought she would work for Walmart for life, she’s glad to be done with the conglomerate.

Do Walmart & Corporate Social Media Policies Need to Change?

Steph’s videos have started a conversation about whether or not corporate social media policies need to be adjusted.

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Source: Getty Images

The question everyone’s asking themselves is if employees have the right to document their lives at work, or if Walmart and other corporations should have the right to keep their policies and practices private.