A TikTok creator is going viral after refusing to train a 25-year-old colleague who was promoted over her, arguing that companies routinely exploit experienced workers while favoring younger, cheaper hires.
The creator, who goes by The Unobsolete (@theunobsolete), said her employer expected her to give away decades of knowledge for free, even though she passed on the role.
In the video of February 10, 2026, she explained why she said no and the rain that resulted from her decision.
“They expected me to teach her the job they said I wasn’t good enough for,” The Unobsolete said.
She went on to say that if they wanted 25 years of her knowledge, they would have to pay her properly. Besides, she wasn’t going to be passed over for someone younger, willing to work for a fraction of her salary, and then use her experience to train them.
“I’m not your free training program,” she explained. “You want me to smile while you humiliate me? Wrong person.”
The creator received backlash from her company for her decision, but told viewers she didn’t care.
“They said that (I) don’t support a team. I said (the team) didn’t support me.”
The video concluded with some words of advice for navigating the corporate landscape: “The second you’re no longer useful, they stop pretending to care,” she said.
“So stop pretending you owe them something.”
TikTok rallied after its rejection
The video immediately went viral, receiving almost 4 million views and 400,000 likes. Most of the comments were in favor of the creator, praising her for setting boundaries and pushing back against age discrimination.
“You can’t be a team player for a team that played with you,” said one user. Another said, “Somebody should tell corporate America it’s illegal.”
Another simply wrote, “age is alive and well.”
Others recounted their inequalities in the workplace. “They hired 6 people to replace me and the work I was doing and they wanted me to train them.” One TikToker recounted. “No.”
“My aunt sued the state of Ohio for the exact situation and won her suit,” said another. “You did the right thing.”
Forbes reported that 99% of workers over 40 reported age in the workplace. This included navigating age stereotypes, bullying, and feeling pressured to hide their age.
In addition, according to AARP 22% of workers over 50 say they are being pushed out of their jobs because of their age.
What happened next
A day after posting the TikTok, The Unobsolete posted an update on her situation, which garnered more than 2.3 million views.
She said she had a meeting to discuss her “attitude”. While she was not fired (which would have been illegal), after the meeting, she began to be excluded from company functions and given less work.
In addition, her interactions were being constantly scrutinized. This was not a surprise, as she was warned at the meeting that the company culture might not be “right” for her.
“I agree,” said the Unobsolete at the meeting. “A culture that exploits experience is not good for me.”
The internet is chaotic—but we break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot newsletter here.