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A Home Instead franchise owner in Champaign, Illinois, is facing legal action after allegedly detaining a care worker in her office.
Jennifer Hanna has been served a notice to appear in court on an unlawful restraint charge, following claims she illegally confined her employee, Crystal Roedl, during a workplace dispute.
The charge stems from an incident that escalated after Roedl, who had been working for the company since November 2023, said she planned to resign.
Video goes viral
The altercation was captured on video and posted by Roedl to TikTok, where it has since gone viral, amassing over one million views. The footage shows Hanna blocking the office door and insisting that Roedl return company property, including a key fob.
“She’s been terminated, and she will not give company property over,” Hanna is heard saying in the video.
Roedl maintains she did not have the key fob with her at the time, explaining that it was at her home and offering to mail it back.
“She locked me in my office,” Roedl said. “She wouldn’t let me leave until I handed over the property. At that time, I didn’t have it with me.&rdquo
Roedl said she felt “trapped” during the eight-minute encounter and described Hanna’s behavior as aggressive and mentally abusive, claiming it was not an isolated incident.
“Mentally abusive - she’s done it to multiple other staff in the office,” Roedl said.
Champaign Police arrived at the scene just before 4 p.m. and took Roedl to the hospital for medical attention.
On Friday, officers conducted a follow-up interview with Roedl and issued Hanna a notice to appear in court. In cases involving non-violent felonies, such notices serve as the equivalent of an arrest.
Company under scrutiny
The incident has cast a shadow over Home Instead, a company typically known for providing senior care in the home.
In a statement, Home Instead addressed the allegations, distancing itself from the independently owned franchise: “Home Instead Inc. is aware of and investigating a video posted to TikTok of an incident that took place at an independently owned and operated Home Instead franchise location in Illinois. We are taking this very seriously, as we do not condone behavior that is inconsistent with our values or policies. Upon conclusion of our investigation, we will take appropriate action.”
Roedl has called for accountability, expressing doubts about Hanna’s ability to manage the business.
“I just feel like her being a business owner, she should not own a business,” Roedl said.
The case has prompted discussions about workplace boundaries and the treatment of employees in care settings, raising questions about employer behavior and company oversight.
For now, the court will determine whether the incident constitutes unlawful restraint. But the fallout - both reputational and legal - may have long-lasting consequences for the franchise. The incident has added to growing scrutiny of the care sector, where worker and patient treatment is continually under the spotlight. The amount of coverage the incident created on social media shows how easy it is for small incidents to do major reputational damage.
