Employee of the Month Route by Naomi

This route for Employee of the Month collects 75 coins, skipping the Poppy quest in Bathhouse. I crafted the route with help of Ebisun. There are a couple of notes for this route:

To gain Employee of the Month status, you need only 75 of the 76 coins. This discovery was made by Kasito. This route skips the Poppy coin in Bathhouse (Axolotl Quest).
While we skip the Poppy coin, we theorize it might be faster to skip Huge Volley instead (as each ball takes 20 seconds to hit, making the total time 80 seconds to get 5 points + travel time to collect the coin)
Doing the above route change does mean the Bathhouse route will change.

Other notes when going for this run:

Do not forget to collect any of the bugs for the Blessley Quests!
Cicada bugs in Pool are tight and explicitely routed. They only appear on walls and fences in this level - and be careful to not scare them to collect them, as they will fly away, losing you time

Links relevant for the speedrun

Reference run:

How to do all volleys as fast as possible:

Without further ado, here is the route.

Home

Collect the lunchbox and bring it to High Frog. Collect the coin and exit (use soda can to get back to giraffe)

Hairball City 1

Collect the first tape on the way to Big Volley
Complete Big Volley but do not collect the coin yet. Collect the Palm Tree cassette and two butterflies first, then collect the coin
Collect the tunnel cassette and butterflies along the way (should be at minimum 6 butterflies, at best 8 butterflies)
Complete Gabby as follows:
Complete the first puzzle and collect the butterflies (2x yellow seeds)
Complete the second puzzle and collect butterflies (1x red, 1x yellow seeds)
Collect the bottle to set-up for bottle drop
Collect the red umbrella tape, use bottle drop to reset dive
Return to main island and collect a butterfly near the two wooden planks leading to Gabby if possible
Complete final Gabby puzzle (1x red seed)
Collect Gabby Coin, line up for soda can near first puzzle
Take the soda can and try to collect the butterflies near Brooklyn Frog and the Hopscotch area (9 total)
Go to Gunther using the soda can and blue umbrella
Talk to Gunther and collect the coin. Leave the skyscraper after collecting butterflies
Go to the little island and break boxes to collect another tape. Check butterflies, you must have, at minimum, 26 butterflies before heading to the lighthouse. If not, collect butterflies now to compensate
Before leaving to lighthouse, collect tape under wooden ramp near you
Go to the lighthouse area and collect the final butterflies, you should have 30 butterflies to complete Blessley’s quest on your return trip
Collect cassette tape under Dustan and then go up to Dustan to collect the next coin
Jump of the lighthouse to collect another tape on the lighthouse (on top of the Lighthouse Door)
Go to Fischer and complete the quest to get the coin
Leave for the train and go to Turbine Town

Turbine Town 1

When entering, go to the right island and collect the tape moving across the water
Collect butterflies as you go to the first two red Tori Gates
Enter the first two Tori gates, then move to the right of the white Tori gate to avoid it. Collect butterflies in this area, then go back to complete all the red tori gates and talk to the Dragon. Be sure to complete the conversation to set up for the Pelly coin
Exit the dragon area and head for the tape in the water on a stone platform. Collect this tape
Head to Air Volley and complete it. Collect the coin.
Head to Gabby and complete the quest as follows:
Complete the first puzzle (1x yellow, 1x red seed) and collect butterflies if possible
Jump off the container heading to the tape in the water on a set of stone pillars and collect the tape
Return to the second puzzle and complete it (2x yellow seeds). Collect butterflies throughout
Complete final puzzle (1x yellow, 1x red seeds) and collect butterflies. Head to Gabby to complete the quest and get a coin
Head to the stone pillar island to collect a key – this stone pillar has three red umbrellas moving in front of it controlled by a button. Collect any bugs on your way.
Head to the Turbine and perform Windmill Skip. Be careful to not dive into the keybox! It will waste your key!
Collect Dustan Coin and jump off to the right side of the Turbine.
Head to the red container submerged in water. Collect the tape inside of it. Be sure to collect butterflies as you go
Head to Fischer and complete his quest. Collect butterflies on the containers where you can
After collecting the Fischer coin, head to the vents near Fischer and collect the tape
Head to the soda can near the containers with the fish in it and launch yourself.
You should land near Pelly. Talk to Pelly and collect your coin.
Collect the bush tape
Collect the tape in the vent puzzle with a blowing fan pushing you out
Collect the container tape that will be above Louist
Collect the container tape that uses switch blocks (they switch whether the button is pink or blue). This can be found near Pepper.
Exit the level to Salmon Creek Forest

Salmon Creek Forest 1

Collect the phone sheet
Collect the key in the lake
Enter the Waterfall. Go to the left as you enter and collect the tape inside the boxes
Collect the tape in the chasm
Collect the coin and void out
Exit Salmon Creek Forest and head to Hairball City

Hairball City 2

Use the soda can on the left as you spawn in to launch yourself to Nina
Collect a spray can and go inside the Dogbone Arcade. Keep the spray can until Nina is completed
Complete the Dogbone Arcade and collect the coin
Collect Nina’s Coin
Head to the Lighthouse and talk to Mai. Collect her coin.
Return to Nina’s area and head to Blessley, collect her coin with the butterflies you collected in the previous visit
Head to Hamster Ball and use the route from the reference run (starts at 15:20)
Collect your coin for completing Hamster Ball and head to Mitch
Trade in tapes for a Coin with Mitch and now leave for Turbine Town

Turbine Town 2

Enter the Dogbone Arcade near the Louist Container. Collect butterflies near the Dogbone Arcade if possible. Complete it and collect the coin, then exit the level to Salmon Creek Forest.

Salmon Creek Forest 2

Collect the tape behind the train on a rock in the water
Head back to the mainland by going just past the backend of the train. Then follow the path to Stijn. Collect dragonflies along the way – you really need them here since they are scarce throughout the rest of the forest.
Talk to Stijn to activate their quest, then go to complete the first gabby puzzle (1x yellow, 1x blue)
Collect the tape near the first Gabby puzzle on a rock in the water
Climb up the tree and collect the tape on top of the Louist and Serschel treehouse
Collect the tape on the wooden platform near the Louist and Serschel treehouse
Complete Nina’s quest and collect the coin. Try to collect any dragonflies in the area as they are scarce for the rest of the forest.
Climb the mountain and complete the Gabby puzzle (1x yellow, 1x blue)
Talk to Melissa and take them with you to the Sakura trees. This completes Stijn’s quest. Talk to Stijn and collect your coin.
Return to a vent to get on top of a stone pillar and complete the Gabby puzzle (2x blue)
Collect the tape on the wooden walkway
After travelling the single plank of the wooden walkway, go left over the mountain and collect the tape near the yellow tents
Collect the tape on the rocks near the end of the previous wooden walkway
Perform Handsome Frog Skip and collect Mai’s coin
Exit Mai’s cave, climb the rocks near Handsome Frog and collect the tape
Talk to Mitch and collect his coin
Complete Hamster Ball. Route I use in reference video starts at 22:00 (This is a rough route. I did a much better route before. I will need to find the run I did so in and share the route here once I have.)
After collecting the Hamster Ball coin, complete the Gabby puzzle near Hamster Ball (2x blue)
Collect Dustan Coin. Jump off the mountain towards a Gabby puzzle and complete it (1x yellow, 1x blue)
Complete the Fischer Quest near the Gabby Puzzle.
Head to Obstacle Volley. Collect the key near Trixie first. Complete volley and collect the coin.
Head to the slanted tree and collect the tape on top of the tree.
Collect any dragonflies in this area near the two soda cans before heading to the Dogbone Arcade behind the Talking Tree
Complete the Dogbone Arcade and collect your coin
Talk to the Talking Tree and complete his quest. Collect its coin.
Collect any remaining dragonflies
If you have too little to complete Blessley, collect any near the yellow tents and near the last Gabby puzzle. Complete the Gabby puzzle (2x blue) and then complete Blessley
If you do have enough dragonflies, complete Blessley, then complete the Gabby puzzle
Head to Gabby near the train and collect her coin
Talk to the giraffe and head for Public Pool

At this point, you should have enough coins to instantly skip Public Pool 1 and Bathhouse 1. Complete the train cutscene, talk to the giraffe and move on to the next level until you reach HQ.

Tadpole HQ 1

Collect the phone numbers
Collect the tape behind the phone numbers
Leave HQ for Hairball City. It is now time for the final revisits and completing the game!

Hairball City 3

Head to Gamer Kid in the Tunnel and activate his quest. Leave the tunnel the way you came in, and climb up to where Hamster Ball is. From here, go to Louist
Talk to Louist and complete his quest. Collect his coin
Go up the skyscraper and complete Gamer Kid’s challenge
Complete the Coin Arcade near the Gabby puzzles
Head to Gamer Kid and collect your coin
Head to the remote island when exiting the Gamer Kid tunnel on your left with the stone frog statue. Collect the tape on top of the stone frog.
Unlock the keybox and launch yourself up. Collect the tape on the nets.
Head for the train and exit for Turbine Town

Turbine Town 3

Activate and complete the Louist and Serschel Quest. Collect butterflies if possible to get enough to complete Blessley’s quest.
Complete Blessley and collect the tape behind her.
Head for the Coin Arcade near Gabby’s area. Complete it for another coin.
Collect coins from both Mai and Mitch, then leave the level for Salmon Creek Forest.

Salmon Creek Forest 3

Activate and complete Gamer Kid’s challenge. Do not head back to collect the coin yet.
Head to the Coin Arcade near the slanted tree with a tape on it previously. It is on the way to the Handsome Frog area. Complete the Coin Arcade.
Now head back to Gamer Kid and collect his coin.
Head to the waterfall in the river near Gamer Kid and enter. Talk to Louist and take him with you. Do not jump or dive yet. Void out with Louist. When launched in the water, aim for the treehouse where you need to deliver him and dive. Then, walk and climb the treehouse to finish Louist. Collect the coin and exit the level to Public Pool.

Public Pool 2

This level is very tight on Cicadas. I will highlight where to get them optimally. The best way to collect is to dive into the wall. Do not get too close to other cicadas so they won’t fly away.

Collect the cicada on the left fence near the giraffe.
Then, collect the cicada on the right fence behind the whiteboard.
Enter the pool area and head to the Dogbone Arcade. Take a diversion to the right to collect a cicada on the right fence, then head to the Dogbone Arcade once more. Collect the cicada on the wall next to it. Enter the Dogbone Arcade now, complete it and collect the coin.
Complete Pool Volley, collect the tape in the kiddy pool near Trixie and collect the coin.
Collect the tape in the boxes, then talk to the Detective to active his quest.
Collect the tape on the palm tree. Then, collect the cicada on the wall on the side of the kiddy pool with a giant frog statue in the middle.
Collect the cicadas on the back side of the big frog statue
Collect the cicadas on the wall next to the frog statue
Collect the tape surrounded by the pool floaties
Collect the tape on top of the frog statue
Complete all the Gabby puzzles:
Complete the first puzzle (1x yellow, 1x blue)
Collect the cicadas near Gabby and the bench
Complete the next Gabby puzzle (1x red, 2x blue)
Collect the cicada on the fence near a tall wooden pillar near the second puzzle area
Head to the third puzzle area, collect the cicadas on the wall behind the seeds and on the pump near the yellow seed
Complete the third puzzle. Do not collect Gabby’s coin just yet.
Collect the cicadas on the fence near the third puzzle area. Then, head for the 2D area.
Collect the coin at the end of the 2D area and exit.
Activate the next step in the Detective quest by walking through the crime scene
Collect the cicada on the fence near the crime scene
Collect Mitch’s coin, and then collect the cicadas behind Mitch
Complete the Coin Arcade, collect the cicada on the wall above the pump near Mai.
Collect the deep pool tape, then climb up the diving board to start the Fischer Quest
Collect the middle diving board tape and the floating tape during Fischer’s Quest, then complete the Fischer Quest and collect the coin
Talk to Mai and collect her coin
Talk to Gabby and collect her coin
Talk to the Detective and collect his coin
Collect any missing cicadas on a fence and on the tree behind Blessley. Then, collect the hidden tape in the bushes and the tape on the pool floaties behind Blessley. Return to Blessley and collect your coin
Head for the train and exit the level to Bathhouse. You’re now on the final stretch of the run!

Bathhouse 2

Collect the tape on a ledge behind the golden frog statue near the giraffe
Open the Employee Break room and collect the tape. Then, enter the Coin Arcade and collect the coin
Head to Louist and complete his quest. Collect the tape on the way and collect any fireflies on your way. They are as scarce as dragonflies in Salmon Creek so keep a close eye on your count
Collect Dustan’s coin using Dusthog or Groundhog to reach him, then dive down to collect a tape on a stone monument.
Complete Hamster Ball using the route shown in the reference run around 47:40
Collect the tape under the waterfall
Head towards Nina. Collect any fireflies on the way. Complete Nina’s quest and collect the coin.
Head to Fischer. Collect any fireflies on the way there. Complete Fischer’s Quest and be sure to collect fireflies and the tape under the red building in the water.
Now head for the remote island and complete Gabby’s quest:
Do the first puzzle near Paul, collect any nearby fireflies (1x pot, 1x yellow, 1x blue)
Do the second puzzle, collect any nearby fireflies (1x pot, 1x yellow, 1x red, 1x blue)
Do the final puzzle, collect any nearby fireflies (1x pot, 1x yellow)
Go behind Gabby to collect a tape, then go to Gabby to collect the coin
Head to the red Tori gates to collect the key on top of it. Collect fireflies on your way.
Now hit the soda can near the island to launch yourself to the other side of the map. Try to land near Mai and collect fireflies near her.
Use the AC vents to go up and collect the tape in the AC stream
Collect the tape on top of the Stone King Frog statue using the AC streams
Head towards the Dogbone Arcade and collect the coin. Collect fireflies on your way to the Dogbone Arcade.
Talk to Gamer Kid and activate his quest. Then, head for Mitch and collect his coin. Head towards the Gamer Kid challenge starting area. Be sure to collect your final fireflies here.
Do the Gamer Kid challenge by using Snow Hopper Skip. Then, go to Gamer Kid and collect his coin. Climb up the ladder behind him to get the tape near Blessley.
Collect Blessley’s coin, and head for Long Volley.
Complete Long Volley and collect the coin. Head for the train and exit to Tadpole HQ to finish the run.

Tadpole HQ 2

Go right and talk to Louist to start his quest, but do not pick him up. Hit the Soda Can near Louist for the tape.
Collect the tape on the rocks near a stream of water, behind the Fischer area.
Head for Fischer and complete his quest. Collect bugs near Fischer.
Collect the tape in a walljump section of the Pepper Skyscraper, near the breakable boxes
Collect the tape in the breakable boxes
Now head back for Louist and deliver him using the fast strat. Collect his coin.
Use the soda cannon above Louist and Serschel for another tape
Head for the Dogbone Arcade and complete it. You can collect a couple cicadas near the arcade for the Blessley coin.
Head towards the big umbrella near Blessley to collect a tape
Go to the Gabby Skyscrapers and collect the tape in the water crossing at the bottom of the Skyscrapers
Then, walljump up the skyscrapers and collect the tape on your way up.
Complete the Gabby puzzles (be sure to collect the fireflies nearby for the bug quest):
Complete the first puzzle (1x pot, 1x yellow, 1x blue)
Complete the second puzzle (1x pot, 1x yellow, 1x red, 2x blue)
Complete the third puzzle (1x yellow, 1x red, 2x blue)
Complete the final puzzle (1x pot, 1x yellow, 1x blue)
Collect the coin from Gabby
Use the big red umbrella in the water to unlock the Coin Arcade on top of the Game Development Skyscraper. Complete the Coin Arcade.
Complete Huge Volley. Use the Soda Can to launch yourself to collect the coin.
Complete the King Frog Quest. Collect any bugs on your way.
Talk to Mitch and collect his coin, then head on top of the Golden Frog
Collect the final tape of the run on top of the Golden Frog statue
Talk to Mai and collect her coin
Collect any final bugs near Blessley and collect her coin