Man blasted for laughing as colleague forced to panhandle in viral TikTok video: ‘He’s not being paid enough’

Social media users debated whether the video was real amid concern for ‘unrealistic’ living wage

A viral TikTok spared a debate about minimum wages in the US, and criticism (@buickkiller/TikTok)

Footage of a man panhandling has caused a debate about minimum wages on TikTok, where some were critical of a coworker for recording him.

The 11-second video was shared to TikTok on Sunday and shows a man holding up a sign by the side of the road, apparently panhandling.

TikTok user @buickkiller, who was apparently the man filming, wrote in an overlay on the video: “When you catch your co-worker panhandling”.

His colleague, who realises his friend is behind the wheel of the car, also appears to laugh and puts down his cardboard sign before walking away.

The words“homeless” and “hungary” could be seen on a cardboard sign, and it remains unclear where the TikTok user and his friend are employed.

The TikTok has been viewed more than 1.6 million times with many writing in the comments that US wages and working conditions were “unrealistic”.

“Everyone wanna laugh but he probably aint making it on the living wages we get, they’re unrealistic,” one TikTok user wrote. “Maybe he’s a Dad and needed help”.

“This is really sad and unfortunately reality for so many people low paid employees. Nothing funny at all,” another added.

Some were less sympathetic and one TikTok user argued that “a lot of people do this that don’t need to be there, but as long as somebody keeps handing the money they’re going to be there non stop”.

Others meanwhile criticised the TikTok user for uploading the footage and wrote: “If it’s real I hope he’s ’OK’ with you exposing his struggle. Some folk will post anything for a laugh to go ‘viral’, regardless of who it might hurt”.

The federally mandated minimum wage is $7.25 (£5.50) per hour, although some workers are paid less and others more in states with higher wages, reports suggest.