TikTok is telling workers in LA to use personal or sick days if they can’t work from home due to the wildfires
- TikTok employees who work from home should continue to do so amid the LA wildfires, the company says
- Affected homeowners will have to take leave
- The company’s LA office is closed due to power outages
Devastating wildfires affecting at least 45 square miles in California are believed to have already burned 1,300 properties, but TikTok says employees affected by the fires should use their personal/sick days if they can’t work from home.
This is despite the LA office being closed due to power outages caused by related winds, making working from home the only current option for local employees.
Workers without power, internet connections or even homes are now having to eat up their limited free time to pick up the pieces, according to TechCrunch reporting.
TikTok says wildfire workers in LA should use personal time off
The company has reportedly confirmed to employees that the office will remain closed from January 8 to 12, but instead of releasing employees, they will be asked to work remotely. TikTik is believed to have a three-day office work mandate.
An HR representative shared a link to the company’s paid sick and safe leave program in one post: Employees in the region get 10 such days off per year, as well as 15 paid days off for vacations and the like.
However, because there is said to be no flexibility in the hybrid work setup, weak employees must either continue to go to the office or use one of their limited sick days to take time off, becoming a precious resource that employees try to save for emergencies. .
A company spokesperson said this TechCrunch: “The safety and well-being of our employees is our top priority… In light of the current circumstances, our offices have been closed since Tuesday and will remain closed for as long as necessary. While employees who can safely work from home are encouraged to do so, we also recognize the unique challenges this situation may present and are committed to providing flexible support to our team if they are unable to work remotely at this time.”
Ny Breaking has asked TikTok to add further context, but we did not immediately receive a response.