A cleaner has been left feeling “humiliated” after her employers carried out an odd test to assess her work – with many angry Aussies calling the act “condescending”.
The Canadian-based worker shared the experience on social media, describing the act as “disrespectful” after discovering a note instructing her to locate 100 miniature ducks hidden throughout the apartment before finishing for the day.
The pink note read, “To our cleaner, we hid 100 mini ducks around the apartment to ensure a job well done! Please leave ALL ducks in this jar.”
Images show the ducks concealed in a range of locations, including inside a chair leg and within a pot plant.
The cleaner, Devon, said she initially attempted to play along with the bizarre “game”, counting 76 ducks before deciding to leave the job.
“After finding the note and ducks today, I want to end the contract,” she wrote to her employers.
“I’m here to do my job professionally, not to play games or be tested,” the message continued.
“If there is a lack of trust in my work, that’s totally your choice – but in that case, it’s best you find someone else to clean for you.”
In response, the employers maintained the duck hunt was intended as a harmless “joke”.
“Oh, okay. I honestly thought it would be fun and lighthearted, just a joke the hubby and I picked up,” they replied.
Devon said the incident crossed a professional boundary, leaving her with no choice but to quit.
The video has racked up nearly four million views, prompting thousands of comments condemning the request.
Many viewers voiced support for Devon, criticising what they saw as a lack of respect toward paid workers.
“As someone who is lucky enough to have a cleaner, I cannot imagine being so disrespectful to someone who makes my life so much easier,” one user wrote.
Others argued the stunt trivialised paid labour, with one commenting, “This is a job for cleaning not a scavenger hunt.”
“I would have left a note saying I hid 100 pieces of cheese and then left,” another said.
Many described the act as humiliating, writing “WOW, the audacity,” and “This feels so disrespectful”.
Several commenters questioned the couple’s priorities, adding: “If they have time to hide 100 plastic ducks, they have time to do their own damn housework.”
Aussie have been left outraged after the incident was discussed by Triple M radio hosts Luisa Dal Din and Jack Archdale during their afternoon drive-time show.
“Personally, I would have immediately walked out & said find another cleaner,” one listener wrote after the segment was shared on TikTok.
“The moving of furniture to clean behind and under I consider a deep clean not a maintenance clean,” another added.
As one comment stated, “I would have not bothered.”
Both radio hosts agreed the act was inappropriate and “condescending”.
Images: TikTok
