It’s a flashback to several decades ago. Late 80s at least. It’s hard to pinpoint exact dates in a comic strip, when most characters seem to stay relatively the same age year after year. So we paint in broad strokes.
Irwin Hansen, creator of Dondi, hightailed it out the door at a job that told him “We’re all one big happy family here.” His experience had taught him that meant: “We take advantage of our workers.”
Not everyone reads the other comments.