Homeowner sparks criticism after telling contractor not to use her bathroom

‘Go to the bathroom at home,’ homeowner told worker

A homeowner has sparked backlash after a contractor recorded the moment she informed him that she’d prefer he and his colleagues refrain from using her home’s bathroom while on the job.

Alex, who goes by the username @alexvueltas0 on TikTok, recorded a video of a co-worker of his lying down tile in a home with a woman, assumed to be the homeowner, standing over him. In the video, she could be heard telling Alex that he is not allowed to use any of the facilities in the house, and can only use the bathroom on his own time, meaning his break or time when he is not working.

The video began with the woman asking the contractor if he is doing his job. He then let her know that he had to briefly use the bathroom. “Go to the bathroom at home,” she told him in response, to which he asked: “You can’t go to the bathroom here?”

“No, it’s not a public bathroom. It’s a house, and I don’t want anybody going to the bathroom,” she replied.

In the video, she then continued to stand over his coworker as she continued to reiterate that he could only use the bathroom on his break, before reinforcing that she pays the employees to be there.

“You have no right to be yelling at someone,” Alex told the woman as she continued to stand near his co-worker. “Just because we’re Mexican you have no right...”

The homeowner didn’t let him finish his sentence as she chimed in: “I’m a Mexican too.” Alex then responded: “Exactly, and you think you’re above everybody.”

In the clip, the woman could then be seen urging Alex to leave “right now,” at which point he informed her that she shouldn’t be yelling at him. She then pointed at what is assumed to be the house’s front door as she directed him to leave or that she would call the police.

Alex didn’t falter as he told the homeowner to “go ahead”. “You don’t want to make a scene with me. You need to leave now. Wait outside,” she replied. On his way out of the house, Alex told her that workers have specific rights, such as breaks while working. The TikTok ended with the woman saying: “You wanna work, or you don’t wanna work?”

In a text caption written across the screen, Alex asked viewers what legal action he could take against the homeowner. The video has since gone viral on TikTok, where more than 14,000 viewers have left comments and where the video was viewed more than three million times since it was posted on 27 July.

A couple of commenters answered Alex’s question by encouraging him to hire a lawyer and sue the homeowner. “Sue. Employer is supposed to provide portable potty,” one comment read. “Law states job sites need to have a bathroom like a Porta John,” another viewer mentioned.

Other viewers urged him to report the woman to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. According to the organisation’s website: “Employers must: Allow workers to leave their work locations to use a restroom when needed. Provide an adequate number of restrooms for the size of the workforce to prevent long lines. Avoid imposing unreasonable restrictions on restroom use.”

The Independent has contacted Alex for comment.