WFH employee gets official strike when their dog pops up in the background of a company Zoom call, company states it's because they have a ‘no pets policy’

Employees who work remotely are pretty lucky individuals. They can sit at home with their coffee and a warm blanket while hanging out with their pets as they get their tasks done. Seems like a pleasant position to be in, right? Well, if you're working for a company that tends to hire micromanagers, you might get into hot water if they're not able to physically breathe down your neck as they could do in an office setting.

This can take shape in a number of ways, but the WFH employee in this story was given an "official strike" because his dog was seen in the background of their video during a Zoom call with fellow colleagues. The original poster (OP) states that they live in a studio apartment, so their dog inevitably pops in and out of frame while taking video calls. At least we know his pet loves him. The OP was given an official strike because the company has a "no pets policy", likely because of allergies and/or phobias other coworkers might have. What's the company's excuse for canine imagery? To maliciously comply, the OP decided to set his Zoom virtual background as his beloved pup, who will still be on camera—just simply masked by the adorable background.

Scroll below to get the full story and some personal experiences from commenters about their company's pet policy.