Ash Putnam, who goes by the online handle ashxobrien, recently went on TikTok and complained that TJ Maxx rejected her for a job in retail. “I applied to TJ Maxx a few weeks ago and they denied my application,” the 24-year-old started in the TikTok clip that was viewed more than 7 million times. “They couldn’t even call me. They just sent me some automated email.”

Looking for some clarity, Putnam – who has visible tattoos covering her face and body, along with numerous facial piercings – said she decided to confront the hiring manager. “So, I went in today, and I was like, ‘What was the reason I didn’t get hired?’ And she was like, ‘Oh, you just don’t have enough experience. There [were] candidates with more experience than you,’” explains the young woman.

“I asked her if it was because of my tattoos. Obviously, a lot of places don’t like tattoos. She said that [it] wasn’t the reason. I don’t feel like that’s true, but whatever. I’ll leave it at that.”