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43 Times People Were Just Too Dumb For A Job, Or Even For Life
Interview With Expert
If you’re someone who works the classic 9-to-5 grind, chances are you can instantly name at least three things that drive you crazy about your boss. Poor management? Check. Questionable communication skills? Double check. A mysterious “budget issue” that somehow only affects your raise? We’ve all been there.
But what happens when the tables turn and it’s the bosses who get to rant for once? Recently, someone online asked, “Bosses of Reddit, what’s the worst employee you’ve ever had to deal with?” And oh boy, the responses did not disappoint. From workers who mass-spammed the entire office to those who “forgot” to show up for an entire week, these stories are a masterclass in workplace chaos. Keep scrolling to read the most unbelievable employee fails that’ll make you feel a little better about your own coworkers.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I'm an electrician. When I was a second year apprentice my foreman came to me with a brand new, wet behind the ears, first year apprentice in tow (in residential it isn't uncommon to have 2nd year apprentices run crews of first year apprentices). He introduced us and told the kid that he would be helping me. As soon as the boss left he looked me right in the eyes and told me "I don't have to do what you say. You're a woman; you don't belong in construction. You don't even know what you're doing."
His other gems were "I'm going to marry my girlfriend. She is the perfect woman- blond, big cheast and dumber than a bag of rocks." When I informed him that this meant he would have dumb kids he replied "Nuh uh. Kids are like, 70 percent their father so they would take after me." I didn't have the heart to inform him that any offspring of his was doomed.
I didn't have the power to terminate or discipline him in any way so I got my revenge in other ways. He was maybe 5'2" after a long stretching session so I always made him do the overhead work. He once told me he didn't *want* to put up the lights in a garage. I told him that part of being an electrician was doing things you didn't want to do. He replied with "Part of being an electrician is having an apprentice to do the things you don't want to do." **YOU** are that apprentice" didn't sit well with him.
UnclePanda 1 month ago
I knew an electrical shop with two women electricians. Their hands and shoulders could get into places the big bubbas could not.
RELATED:
#2
The guy who told me he didn't think women had a "place" in science. Six months later I was promoted to his supervisor.
winterwidow87 1 month ago
People who make assumptions based on gender have no place in science.
#3
Back when I was a manager at a Pretzel place we noticed when we had this girl on the register that the drawer would always come up short so we were watching her. We were between paychecks at the time and she had mentioned she was broke. She went on break as we were counting the drawer and we discovered we were $125 short. She came back with new shoes and was talking about how cute they looked and We asked her "How much were your shoes,...about $125?" And I will always remember her shocked genuine look of surprise as she said... "How did you know?!".
Howl's sleeping castle 1 month ago
My BIL fired his pharmacy assistant because he stole money on his first day of work. He was aware of the cameras so didn't deny taking the money
We all know that working under a bad boss can be stressful, but it’s not just minor annoyances, the effects are real. A 2023 CIPD report found that poor management contributed to 50% of employees experiencing negative impacts on their mental health.
That’s half of the workforce feeling the strain! Additionally, 39% reported feeling excessive pressure at work, carrying unnecessary burdens. On top of that, 70% of employees with poor managers admitted to low job satisfaction. Workplace stress isn’t just frustrating; it’s a full-on mental load, and these numbers prove it.
#4
We once had a guy working for us who tried to swat a wasp with a sledge hammer, the wasp flew on his face so he hit himself in the face with a sledge hammer then tried to sue the company for not telling him swatting wasps with a giant hammer was a dumb thing to do in health and safety talks. He lost the case and the wasp got away.
EDIT I work in a civil engineering company
EDIT2 You do not have to be a civil engineer or have anything close to a degree to work in civil engineering company.
Child of the Stars 1 month ago
I don't have a formal education beyond h.igh school, but I know that using a sledgehammer to swat wasps is a bad idea.
#5
I worked as a supervisor for a catering company when I was in college.
We had this guy who might have been the dumbest person I have ever met.
I remember we had to label dishes the cooks sent out to know what went where without uncovering them. I asked him to label a breakfast and he misspelled every word.....even the word 'eggs'.
The worst however is late one night we were cleaning up and I asked him to mop the kitchen before we locked up. I was in the office doing paper work and a horrible acrid smell started filling the kitchen area.
I told everyone to get out and started looking for the source. Turns out this idiot decided to mop the floor with bleach and ammonia. I kicked the bucket into the drain and went outside, coughed for 45 minutes and ended up in the ER.
The owner of the company was so desperate she refused to fire him, so I gave my two weeks.
A few months later I hear the guy t-boned another driver with a catering truck trying to run a red light at an intersection, the resulting lawsuit ended up shutting the business down.
#6
Girl comes in as a waitress. Would take food out of the window because she thought it was hers and wouldn't bother to wait for the whole order to be finished to check that it's hers. She would take it out to her table and realize it wasn't hers, chuck it, ask for new stuff because "the cooks messed it up" and mess up another waitress' orders by throwing them away.
Then she asked for change for $100. She receive $100 in change to make change for her one table. Instead of counting it out, she hands the entire $100 back to the woman, who leaves with it all. The girl was $80 short at the end of the night. Normally it would come out of her pay but our boss covered it in the mean time and told her to pay her back.
Weeks go by, still hasn't paid our boss back. My boss gets persistent about it and so the girl goes and talks to her mom about it. "My mom says we all make mistakes and I shouldn't have to pay for my mistakes" was her response. Eventually it resulted in the girl suing our boss for $80 that "our boss scammed out of her".
And then she had a meltdown about working 12 hours a week stating that it was too much for her and why doesn't anyone understand? I'm not gonna lie; I celebrated when she quit.
Now, let’s flip the coin. Managers who treat their teams fairly, provide constructive feedback, and create clear expectations produce a completely different atmosphere.
According to the report, 88% of employees with good managers reported high job satisfaction. Even better, 74% said they would happily go the extra mile, volunteering for tasks beyond their usual responsibilities. Leadership makes all the difference, and when done right, employees feel empowered, motivated, and actually excited to contribute.
#7
My dad fired a guy because on top of being an incompetent carpenter, he would not stop looking down the barrel of a nail gun every time it jammed.
#8
I'm the afternoon supervisor at a thrift store and we had a new employee who seemed really nice but later it turned out that she was a religious nutcase who was a general nuisance. The last straw was when I put some books on Wicca donated by a friend of mine in the religious section of the books, and they kept on ending up in the garbage and I had to put the books back on the shelf. One day I caught this woman doing this and she said she was saving the store from the devil. I told the manager about this and she fired her.
Lady Eowyn 1 month ago
Good. Wicca has nothing to do with any devil, especially the primarily Christian construct with which most people are familiar.
#9
She worked at one of those restaurants that serve strawberry lemonade with the rim of the glass covered in sugar. Her mistake was putting the lemonade in the glass before turning it over to dip the rim in the sugar.
Oh, I should mention she did this twice before figuring it out.
Rali Meyer 1 month ago
that's like checking the time on your wrist watch with a drink in the same hand!
But while identifying a great or terrible boss is relatively straightforward, what about the employees themselves? What truly makes someone a “good” or “bad” employee? To find out, we spoke with Naresh Sharma, founder of OnePoint, a logistics company connecting cities across India through reliable and cost-effective road transport.
With over 30 years of experience, Naresh has seen it all. What sets him apart is his philosophy: people are the heart of the company. Treat them well, guide them effectively, and they’ll thrive. Mismanage them, and even the best processes can fail.
#10
I was only a team leader so I didn't do the firing here, but back when I worked at an amusement park a 16 year old was hired to work the cash register in my department. On his FIRST DAY, he stole $20 out of the till in full view of another employee (and cameras) and told her to "just be cool."
She told our manager and the kid was fired on the spot.
#11
Had an employee play sick for 2 weeks, sending us daily emails to update us on his condition. At the same time, his band was posting photos on Facebook of their road trip to SXSW.
#12
When I was in the Army I had this 20yr old kid working for me that I swear had to be the product of some serious inbreeding. Dumbest guy I've ever met and lazy to boot.
Anyhow, one Monday morning Kyle doesn't show up to work. He's not in the barracks and nobody has seen him since Friday. Tuesday morning he shows up 4 hours late and comes to me **with a note from his mother** saying:
"Dear Sgt Palanawt, please excuse Kyle's absence yesterday as he was ill.
Sincerely Mrs. _______"
Needless to say, Kyle did a LOT of push ups that day.
Naresh dives into the classic issue: tardiness. “Coming in late is something I watch closely,” he explains. “Of course, everyone has emergencies: public transport delays, doctors’ appointments, family matters. But habitual lateness shows a lack of consideration for the team.”
The workplace is a shared space, and constant delays can ripple through projects, meetings, and morale. Everyone deserves flexibility, but there’s a line between occasional mishaps and consistent disruption. Punctuality may seem small, but it’s a cornerstone of respect and accountability on any team.
#13
I once had an employee who was seemingly a reformed convict, but ended up later robbing a bank and tried to take the money north into Canada (I'm in Colorado). He took two of our employees with them and they were caught about halfway through Wyoming.
In honesty, it ended up being funny because he signed his real name on the banks Welcome booklet before he proceeded to rob them.
#14
I worked at a Pizza joint with this dude who was absolutely clueless. We hired him on as a driver, for two weeks he would constantly get lost, come back to check the map and go drive around for another hour. The last straw was when he hit a parked car in front of a cop and just drove right back to the store.
#15
I used to be a manager at an office supply store. We had an associate who used to act really eccentric.
For starters, he claimed he had "duck feet" and could not actually walk around the entire store for his shift unless we allowed him to do it barefoot. That was a no go, so he demanded extra breaks to relieve his "duck foot."
Other times he would show up when it wasn't even his shift, but he would be wearing full motorcycle gear, including the helmet. He would then proceed to walk around the store with said gear on and attempt to hit on the female associates. When I confronted him about it, he tried to pretend at first that he wasn't an associate there. With more prodding, I got him to finally admit it was him. His response was that he was "in cognito."
Lastly, because we were required to use radio headsets to communicate to each other, we had certain protocol about what could be said on the radio...which he promptly ignored. He had a habit of naming different areas of the store. He called the women's bathroom, "beavers nest."
Yeah, it was really fun firing him.
Next up: bullying and harassment. Naresh doesn’t mince words. “Absolutely no tolerance,” he says. “Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected at work. Intimidation, insults, or power plays? Not acceptable.” He also stresses gossip, which he sees as a silent productivity enemy. “Teams need to function like a well-oiled machine, not a rumor mill.” Healthy communication is essential, and fostering a respectful environment ensures that everyone can contribute confidently.
#16
I had to fire a pregnant girl a couple days ago. I manage a call center and she loudly called another agent a derogatory word. During her termination she began yelling that I was firing her because I didnt want to give her paid maternity leave (our company doesn't even offer it). When I told her this, she began pointinghe finger down at her groin yelling that I was firing her because she wouldn't let me "get none of this". Serously awkward.
KatSaidWhat 1 month ago
The restraint I would have to show in not replying "well someone did"...
#17
Delivery guy for my store told the young lady who was helping to unload the weeks load that 'women should not be working in deliveries. You're too weak and have no common sense.'
Such comments seem almost tongue in cheek.
Apparently not.
The delivery guy called the parent distributor claiming he should get double pay for having to work with 'a girl' whilst unloading. He also called our store and stated he would simply refuse to deliver again if the assistance he would receive was female.
The man is in his late 30's. The store manager who he partitioned and the distributor director were both females.
winterwidow87 1 month ago
And i bet that poor girl ended up doing most of the unloading while he bîtched and môaned.
#18
I had an employee who came in late 15 minutes every day, so I changed his schedule to 15 minutes later, and he still came in late. I wrote him up twice for being late, and told him I would fire him for being late again.
He does not show up for work for 3 days, nor call in. When he does finally come in, he tells me he was in jail for a domestic problem. I terminated him and he sues the company for wrongful termination.
We go to a labor board hearing and the judge asks if he was convicted of the crime. He says he didn't do it. She repeats the question 5 times, to the same reply.
I was eventually cleared, but only after dealing with this idiot for several months.
Blaming others for mistakes is another red flag. Naresh explains, “Owning your mistakes is crucial. Shifting blame doesn’t solve anything, it only creates tension. I will forgive genuine errors if employees are honest and proactive in fixing them.” Accountability builds trust, and trust is the glue holding teams together. Employees who step up and take responsibility, even in difficult situations, set a positive tone for everyone around them. Mistakes happen, but how you handle them shows your true professionalism.
#19
Had a guy on our crew who would deliberatly soil himself to go home early. After the third time in as many weeks I fired him. And yes he did have to ride in the back of the truck.
#20
This wasn't an employee, it was a business partner. We had started a consumer credit counseling business together. He had experience managing one as an employee. I had just gotten out of another successful business. Part of that was that I had a few large lines of credit with several electronics retailers/wholesalers. So I took $50k out to purchase all the equipment we needed to get 20 work stations, a server system and the software we needed, the phone lines and a lot of other stuff.
So we were going at it and things were going really well. I was away for a long weekend. I check my phone and have a bunch of messages on it. It's before lunch so I figure I'll head in, find out what the problem is. I walk onto the floor and the doors are wide open. I walk in and there is nothing. Absolutely nothing. All that was left were the desks and cubies and the cat5 wire I had installed. All the phone equipment, the computers, the chairs, even the floor mats for the chairs. Hell, my desk was gone.
The security cams for the building showed him a few skeezey friends of his loading everything into a Ryder truck. I never heard from him again. It set me back for a long time, but it worked out. That's the worst employee I have ever had.
#21
I run the vet department of a local animal shelter. We had one vet assistant who thought she had some sort of psychic connection with cats and would leave all their cages open to prove it. We had to let her go after 3 cats went missing.
Constant complaining is also a major issue. “I’m here to listen to concerns,” Naresh says, “but whining without attempting solutions drains energy. If you notice a problem, try to help fix it. Constructive feedback is welcome; endless negativity is not.” It’s about balance. Everyone wants their voice heard, but solutions-oriented thinking separates a helpful employee from a disruptive one. Productive workplaces thrive when complaints come paired with action.
#22
I was running a smoothie shop (not the official manager, the owner never named one but I had the highest pay and did all the duties like scheduling, hiring, training, ordering and such) when the owner of the business decided to hire his son.
He paid him the same rate he payed me - which he made everyone aware of including the people who worked there much longer than him. He was NEVER on time. Ever. He gave free product to all the girls he was trying to hit on (including my at the time 16 year old sister.. gross) and was always giving out the work number as his number when his cell would get cut off. He thought he was God's gift to women. He would do stretches and push ups on the ground to show off for us girls who worked there. We weren't impressed. He would come in too hungover to function, sometimes still wasted. He was DISGUSTING and perverted and lazy. Getting him to actually work was impossible but every time I tried to bring it up with the owner he would shut me down. I almost lost my job the day I fired him without asking.
#23
Pretty minor really, this one guy became "odd" at work and started taking a lot of time off work. He said he had heavy metal poisoning but that didn't make a lot of sense because he was doing desktop support. Turns out he was stockpiling chemicals...lots of chemicals...in his trailer...to make explosives.
Police found out about it when they started leaking out and arrested him. We were all pretty much glad to see him go.
#24
A few years back I made some changes to our employee manual so I put a couple copies in the break room for everyone to read if they wanted. The next day, one guy from the shipping department (who had worked there for over 10 years) walked into the main office and punched another guy who he had been having a little feud with for years right in the side of the face. Caught him totally off guard, knocked him out of his chair and on to the floor. The shipping department guy then walks out of the office and goes back to his job like nothing happened. Police were called, gave him a citation and I told him to grab everything and he was done. He got all upset because he had been reading the new employee manual and one part had said if there was a problem with an employee they would be verbally reprimanded, then suspended from work, and if it continues they would be fired. He assumed he could punch the other guy in the face twice without being fired.
Bewitched One 1 month ago (edited)
Haha well, I mean, sounds like he was right, from the wording of that. Unless it specifically stated he would get fired for assaulting someone /j 🤷🏼♀️ I’m guessing they likely made some more changes to the manual after that incident
Initiative is key too. Employees who go beyond the minimum, suggest improvements, and contribute positively are the ones managers notice. “I admire team members who think ahead, take responsibility, and step in when needed,” Naresh shares. Initiative fosters trust, builds leadership skills, and strengthens the entire organization. Even small gestures, offering a solution, volunteering for a task, or mentoring a junior, make a significant difference in workplace culture.
Effective communication rounds out the top qualities of a good employee. Clear, honest, and respectful communication ensures everyone is on the same page. Misunderstandings are minimized, collaboration is smoother, and morale improves. “If you can communicate problems early and discuss solutions openly, it shows maturity and reliability,” Naresh adds.
#25
I was an IT manager:
We had this guy who liked to dip his hands into the sugar, which was meant for coffee. We would've had no idea except he left sugar fingerprints on everything in the break room, and a crystal trail back to his cubicle.
#26
Not me, but my sister has a coworker who constantly calls out of work. My sister works at a small gas station/quick mart. When she works, there is usually only one person on staff for a shift. One time, her coworker called out because of a "doctor appointment" on a Friday at 4pm, then was seen at a bar at that exact time by a regular customer. If you're going to call out sick, at least stay home or go somewhere far away where you won't be seen by anyone you know. It sucks for my sister because she'll work from 5am to noon, then find out the lady called out, so she then has to go back into work from 4pm-10pm. She rarely sees her daughter ever because of this, and her boss refuses to replace this lady.
#27
Had a lady who smelled like a hamster cage, like the sawdust stuff you put at the bottom, who changed my whole perspective on human kind. She was large, breathed heavy, and complained about everything.
She would show up late, when she didn't call in sick she would show up with her lunch in hand. Her lunch consisted of multiple packages of twinkies and a nacho platter from 7-11. But she wouldnt settle for the small section normally reserved to fill with the cheese. Nope, she would remove the lid and fill the entire lid with nacho cheese. Then come in, bag of twinkies on arm lid of cheese in one hand, chips in the other. Remember she's late but still had time to stop for the junk food.
Once at work, she would smoke every 30 minutes, then come back inside and complain about how terrible she felt. Of course, you feel terrible! Nacho cheese and nicotine are not going to help. This was everyday, seriously everyday.
Finally she stopped showing up. No warning no calls nothing. I fired her as as a no show with no notice filed under job abandonment and guess what.... she is probably still collecting unemployment.
Bewitched One 1 month ago
At any point did this person think maybe she like, idk died from not being able to breathe, or a heart attack? Probably not, but still possible.
And let’s not forget positivity and attitude. A team member with a can-do spirit can lift morale, even during stressful times. “Positivity is contagious,” Naresh notes. “Employees who bring energy, encourage others, and stay solution-focused make everyone’s day easier.” While skills and experience matter, attitude often defines how well someone fits into a team. A helpful, cooperative mindset goes a long way in creating a thriving workplace.
So there you have it! From habitual lateness and gossip to initiative and positivity, the range of employee behaviors is surprisingly wide. And yet, as these posts show, some people clearly push boundaries way too far. Which of these behaviors caught you off guard the most? And which one made you think, “Hey, I definitely deserve Employee of the Month for handling this”?
#28
I hire and manage the drivers at a pizza store and we've had a few terrible employees.
One guy tried to do a 3 point turn in a narrow street and reversed his car into somebodies garden. Another had fleas all through his car during his driving trial, needless to say I never called him back. Finally on an incredibly dead Tuesday one of our drivers had been gone for about an hour, this was super suspicious so I called him. Turned out he delivered to this chick and proceeded to wordsmith his way into her bedroom to enjoy some pizza and pleasure. As impressed as I was, I was forced to fire him.
#29
I'm a security supervisor. I came in one morning, and found the nightshift guard asleep, with an empty cider bottle beside him. For American redditors, the cider in question was what you'd call hard cider. This drink wasn't just hard, it was solid. If you're in the UK, it was white lightning.
I walked around him, set up my computer, filled in the paper work to get him off site, called control, waited an hour for the company to send a rep down, drank a coffee, all without this idiot doing more than snoring or farting.
When he was cleaning out his locker, a whole bunch of empties fell out. He hadn't even had the sense to toss them.
There was another guy we dealt with, in the same place, where a chequebook went missing from the clients desk. I saw him out during his shift one day (which in itself was a no-no) in a cheque cashing place in town. I went over to say hi, and he tried to clock me when he spotted me coming. Turns out he'd been using the clients chequebook to supplement his wages.
#30
I used to work at a small bagel shop. The boss used to hire practically anyone who came in and asked for a job, interview included. One day this 50+ year old chick from Waffle House comes in. While waiting for her interview, she was writing in a notebook. She got up to go to her car and I took a look at it. It said SATAN on the top of the page along with some illegible poems. A week in she tried to nuke her tinfoil wrapped BLT. Arced the microwave. I told her to leave without any authority. I was 16. I got a raise for it.
#31
My mom was a dentist for years and when I asked what was the worst thing she had to fire someone for, she didn't disappoint. Over the course of about a month my mom noticed that several of her patients were complaining that amount of oral anesthetic they had wasn't enough even at the max amount, AKA it hurt during mouth surgery. She couldn't give any more anesthetic, so she got suspicious. A few hidden cameras later she found out that one of her dental hygienists was stealing the anesthetic and replacing it with water...
Child of the Stars 1 month ago
But...why? That stuff isn't like pain killers. It's not the kind of thing you get h.igh on or anything. Why would you steal it?
#32
One of my former employees stole ~$10,000 from the charity we worked for. Other than that she was actually an amazing employee!
Tucker Cahooter 1 month ago
Well of course, by going above and beyond the call of duty, she would be the last person you would suspect of skimming money.
#33
Had to give evidence with a team of people to get someone fired... This is the general gist of what I attested to:
Guy, a fifty year old geologist, was mistakenly hired. He was from Wisconsin, we were in Australia. I was the first in the car with him, for the first time. I asked him if he could drive a manual, and he corrected me by saying 'I can *read* a manual, if that's what you're asking?"... I said "No, a manual is... uh... can you drive stick?" He said yes. Then he proceeded to rage out when he couldn't start the car (a push-button start car where you have to have your foot on the brake to start the engine) I finally felt bad and showed him how. He laughed at how simple it was and why there was no instructions. I reminded him of the car's manual, which he insisted he could read.
It gets worse. After a nerve-wracking right-side-left-side drifting event where he kept forgetting which side of the road to be on, He dropped me off to fuel the car. I get this call telling me the car's 'exploded' and I run (I am not a runner) the five hundred metres to the fuel depot and there he is, sitting on the hood of the car, surrounded by people trying to talk him down, but he is hysterical and wont get down, won't unlock the car, wont give up the keys. The car hasn't exploded, he's just had a panic attack because he can't start the car. Others have tried to insist they can show him how but he insisted right back that only I could possibly understand how to start this car. For the next few days afterward, he mass-spammed us with GOD-FORGIVES-ALL emails.
TL;DR: American geologist lies about being able to start a car then has panic attack when help is offered.
Bewitched One 1 month ago (edited)
We DO have push button start cars in America? I have one sitting in the driveway; yep, you have to have the brake pressed in to start it. Not sure what this guys issue was. He did it once, how’d he forget? Also, I thought he could read the manual ? lol
#34
I had a woman who found Jesus and became a vegan at the same time. She would sit in the break room and lecture other employees about the food they ate and tell them about why they where all going to hell. I was on my break eating an apple and reading my Kindle and she felt the need to tell me how my apple was poison because it was not organic and that I should not have needless possessions (my Kindle) because everyone should live poor like Jesus. We had several talks with HR but she did not seem to get the message. The final straw was right before christmas when a customer said "merry christmas, I hope santa brings you something nice" to her. She proceeded to lecture the customer for a full minute about how santa was really satan and anyone who celebrated christmas was going to hell because it is a pagan holiday. The customer left in tears and every associate in earshot came to lodge a complaint. Needless to say she was fired the same day.
Lady Eowyn 1 month ago
Well, to be specific, Christmas is celebrated when it is because early church fathers wanted to convert "pagans," and tied a lot of their holidays to existing celebrations. Like Winter Solstice. Biblical scholars believe it's more likely Jesus was born in the spring. Easter is tied to spring fertility festivals. All Soul's Day, to Samhain (Halloween). I'm Jewish and it doesn't bother me in the least when people say Merry Christmas or hope Santa brings me something nice. Hey, the Hanukkah Bunny can't do it all alone, LOL.
#35
I worked at a restaurant small family style breakfast place. I wasn't the newest employee but I was the most regular one on Sundays so I became the assistant manager (I was 16) I was also the only waiter. One employee had a meltdown because 5 minutes before closing a couple walked in and ordered. I told her they wont be long and worst case we get time and a half. While trying to calm her down 3 more tables walked in. I seated them took their order when she found out to keep her calm I said just make their toast and you can go ill give you till I leave on your card. Next thing I know she comes out from the kitchen flinging toast at the costumers like throwing stars goes into the kitchen breaks a few things and leaves.
#36
My favorite is the guy twice my age that thinks he can undermine me because of the age.
They put me in this job for a reason, hoss; calm down and do what I asked.
V 1 month ago
I know that feeling. When I was a young manager I had to ask someone from another store to help out when I was short staffed one time. I ended up with this older lady come in, great, but when I was explaining the layout of our store I told her she can't do a particular thing because although it looks like it would work we end up damaging stock. I went on lunch and when I came back she'd done what I explicitly told her not to do destroying several hundred dollars worth of stock.
#37
Had this kid beg me for a job, after a teachers recommendation I hired him. He was good for a time then he got involved with bad people and became a bad kid.
He didn't show up for work one day saying his uncle died. When I mentioned it to his brother, his brother was like "what???"
So I wrote him up.
The very next week I was off the day he was suppose to work, he called one of my keyholders saying he was stuck at school. I couldn't go in because I had no baby sitter. One of my neighbors worked for me but had recently lost his license for dumb reasons. I had to go to town so I took him in and when I pulled in to the parking lot bad kids car was parked in front of Subway 2 doors down from the store. Mind you this was the time he was supposed to be working. I dropped off other employee drove slowly by Subway saw bad kid eating a sub. I just pointed at him and he some how was surprised that I caught him. I called my store and talked to my let holder, he begged me to let him go over and fired him. Normally I say no but this guy was screwed over by bad kid twice so I say sure. He walks over to subway buys a drink, calmly walks to bad kids table and says "hope that sub was worth your job"
And that was the last of bad kid.
#38
An underling of mine stole money from me. I caught him and his excuse was "my old boss let me do that." I was just so baffled.
Bewitched One 1 month ago
I’m not sure “let” was the right word. More like “didnt ever catch me doing it” most likely
#39
I worked as a supervisor of master control at a TV station. Think DJ of a radio station only you play the TV shows and commercials and don't get to talk. You also had to record future shows, dub commercials and lots of other logistical things.
You have to be organized and on top of things or that job will bury you. We also didn't pay much because you got a lot of candidates for getting 'paid to watch TV' which is what it looks like from the outside.
But that meant we got some very interesting people. The worst of them never ran a commercial break exactly right in the two weeks he was there and that was with me right on top of him.
When I came in at the beginning of the shift on a Saturday (easiest shift available) and he had hung a yin/yang symbol directly over his chair I knew he wouldn't be lasting much longer.
Final straw was when I went home for a while that day as a test. I watched his commercial breaks and he completely missed two of them!
So I went back to the station (I lived 2 minutes away) to relieve him and finish the shift myself and found out why he missed the breaks. He knew he was doing badly so he took it on himself to reorganize our equipment 'boneyard' where we stored unused by still useful stuff. It was organized before and now it was just chaos.
He was genuinely surprised I told him to go home and his last check would be available on Monday.
#40
I had the queen of outlandish "I can't come to work" excuses. Just when I thought she couldn't come up with a new one, she would pull one out. Here's a few:
"I locked my key and my phone in my house and couldn't call or come in all day cause my Grandma was the only other person with a key. She had to work all day so I had to wait."
"I couldn't come in or call cause someone stole my phone. I am calling from my phone now because someone at McDonald's found my phone and just happened to know my cousin so I got it back."
"I couldn't come in or call because you know how I bought myself a hide-a-key rock to keep a spare key in? Well, someone stole my hide-a-key rock with the key in it and I accidentally locked my other key in the house.".
Upstaged75 1 month ago
I had an employee like that. One day she told me she needed to go home early because she pooped her pants. 😮 Another time she said she had to prep for a "last minute" colonoscopy - on a Friday. 🙄 The excuses got crazier as time went on. She was out more than she was in the office so we had to fire her. I gave her SO many chances but she just didn't get it. She was shocked when she got fired. 🤷♀️
#41
I worked at an ice cream store. It was summer, And this kid had been scheduled to work over the weekend and just didnt show up. Whatever yknow, maybe he just didnt realize he worked. So we call him up and make him aware that he's supposed to be at work right now, and he tells us he's in CHICAGO (we don't live anywhere near Chicago). Ask him if he knew he had to work, he said yeah but he thought it would be okay cause he wanted to go out of town, like he had vacation days or something. He was part time, and gave no notice, ain't no body got time for dat!
He was fired when he came back when he showed up for his next shift and continued to work for a few hours even after being told he was let go.......and after he had clocked out....weird dude. Took the trash out for us on his way out though.
#42
The GM hired a guy named Reggie to work as a delivery driver at a pizza place.
Reggie couldn't do follow directions very well and just stood in the corner making strange faces, slowly shaking his head side to side, staring at the floor, hissing and sniveling. Literally hissing. Like an angry rat.
He was quickly fired and sent home.
The next day, he showed up for work again, proceeded to stand in the same corner and engage in the same odd behavior.
Once they got it through to him he had been fired, he took it really hard and stood out front and cried for an hour until a stranger came along and offered him a ride home.
Bewitched One 1 month ago
Sounds like Reggie might’ve had a developmental disability and if that’s the case, I kinda feel for the guy… however this seems kinda made up. Like…. Why would he have needed a ride home? If he was the delivery guy, he would’ve needed to have his own vehicle and a drivers license with basically any place, (at least in the US) and so would’ve/should’ve had a vehicle of his own to drive himself home??
#43
I had this wacko who worked for me at a company that rhymes with Blows and is a home improvement warehouse. She told everyone in the store that she had a brain tumor and was going to have emergency surgery for it on a Saturday.
The following Monday she strolls in back to work. We were expecting her to be out for a rather long time. We had arranged for flowers and get well cards and had her shifts covered for the week.
We ask her her if she had surgery. "Oh yeah. They removed the tumor." Did I mention that she had all of her hair? No? Oh, well SHE HAD ALL OF HER HAIR! Not to mention she actually came into work. To describe her lying as pathological, is doing the word an injustice.
UPDATE: I was unaware that you could have this done through the nose or ear canal, depending on where the tumor was. The consensus is that being back to work in two days is highly unlikely.
Bewitched One 1 month ago
I was actually going to say maybe they went through her nose, only because they used to do certain “mental health treatments” that way, so I assumed it possible if the tumor were in a specific area. Wasn’t aware it could be done through the ear canal, however. But I do agree, back to work so soon is probably a no no and she would’ve likely needed to bring in a doctors note to even be cleared to go back to work. I had to have one after ear surgeries, so I’d guess it’s also be needed for a brain surgery lol
#44
We fired this kid for being a terrible worker, and told him to leave. He comes back several hours later, to inform us that we can't fire him, because he quit.
#45
I used to work at as assistant manager at a seafood department in a grocery store. Before I got the job my boss hired this guy to fill the position. He had the barest understanding of how a job worked. He'd show up late and make up excuses. He'd come in, complain he wasn't feeling well and force me to come in on my day off to work the rest of the shift and then tell someone else in the store, usually a young woman, that he was hung over and was just going home to sleep it off. I once came back from break and found him standing there, in full view of customers, eating from a container of cool whip with his fingers. HIS FINGERS! Just spooning that oil based thing into his stupid maw, oblivious of what he looked like. The last straw was when My boss went on vacation, leaving him in charge. Needless to say the department went to hell. Orders weren't done, bunkers that were supposed to be filled weren't, forcing the store manager to come in and start filling gaps and spending time fixing problems. I warned him time and time again that leaving early was a bad idea and that he was gonna lose his job. He ignored me and sure enough my boss came back, had a meeting with the store manager and then they transferred the idiot over to the front cash, leaving me with a promotion and a pay rise.
This guy was eventually fired for napping at the cash register.
#46
Not a boss, but had 2 interesting fellows at a previous employment that might make the cut.
First one showed up to his first day more or less on time, was shown what he was supposed to do and where, and he dutyfully worked for about 1½ hours before he decided it was an acceptable days worth of labour, went home without telling anyone and we never saw him again.
The second fellow lasted somewhat longer. Despite having one of the by far easiest jobs at the place, the pure stress and anxiety make his nicotine habits go out of control, so he had to take 15 minute smoke breaks every half-hour. The boss told him that wasn't really fine, so after about a week later the withdrawal got the best of him and he promtly left.
#47
My friend was a team leader in a Call Center and had a hot female employee off on the sick for a week or so. Long story short, he stumbled upon her working on one of the 'Babestation' channels on Sky TV. Had to sack her.
KatSaidWhat 1 month ago
Does babestation still exist? I had a friend doing camera work for television X back in 1998.
Sleepy children love Moon 1 month ago
I assume for lying about being sick and then going to a different job. A lot of jobs have a clause about working a second job without informing the first job
Load More Replies... #48
As the son of a business owner who does not have reddit and can't share his story that almost made his business go under, I shall.
Note: I am the son, so I'm telling the stories I heard, assuming there are more that I don't know.
My father hired a woman who was an acquaintance of his that he'd known for a while and had good faith in her that she was a hard worker, blah blah blah. Well after 10 years of working there, causing small problems along the way, but nothing that would jeopardize her job. One day, she up and decides to take a "much needed vacation from the 'shop'" and doesn't show up for a while, and doesn't say why, doesn't say when she'll be back.
So naturally, work needs to get done, with no one there to do it, my dad hires a temp to take her place until she shows up or until he hears from her. How ever long after this temp has been working there, five or six days, the "righteous vacation taker" shows and up and is furious when she sees this person doing her job. Goes to my dad and blows up about this temp taking her place. My pop don't like this, so he fires her on the spot. She leaves in a fit of what some might recognize as "roid rage" knocking stuff over and breaking things. Over, right? wrong.
A week later my dad finds out that the company is being sued because my uncle (co-owner) has been accused of harassment upon this employee...
She drags this on for 2 and a half years causing my father's company tens of thousands of dollars in court fees and lawyer fees, almost sinking the company into bankruptcy.
Needless to say she won (settled outside of court for $170,000) but the company still lives.
#49
Hired an unemployed professional in a hurry because of a forced retirement. I called references and reviewed his CV. He moved jobs every 2-3 years but had good excuses for the (red flag #1). He was fired from his last job but had a good excuse for this (red flag #2). Still I was in great need so I hired he moved across the country without a contract. Started work. We had agreed to terms verbally. I gave him a contract shortly after his arrival. But he refused to sign it and started to make ridiculous demands. He ended up stealing several of my customers and suing me for $1,000,000. We go though a 5 day trial and he gets nothing. I get a $180,000 legal bill.
I pay much closer attention to red flags now.
#50
Had an employee that only lasted 2 weeks. He was the most frustrating employee ever. He was hired for an entry level technical support position. So of course, being entry level, there will be training. The training never stuck. He wouldnt take notes or retain anything he was taught. To make a long story short, he gave us his two weeks notice and his reasoning?... "I didnt think I would have to learn anything. I dont like learning. I only like tasks.".
nottheactualphoto 1 month ago
That's part of the deal with this "work" thing. You will probably have to do things you don't like.
#51
Not me but my dad has a law firm and one of the lawyers wanted to hang up her diploma with duct tape because she "didn't know how to use a hammer".
#53
Used to be in the Army, had a new specialist come in.
He was from the 101st (ex-airborne unit) wearing a maroon (airborne) beret, trying to pass himself off as some super high speed kiddo.
He was constantly late to formations, wearing the wrong uniform, jumping the chain of command (going straight to the big boss without talking to the lower bosses first).
This guy was a soup sandwhich and eventually got kicked out for being overweight without any intention of losing it.
#54
Not a boss, but I work with someone who forgets that she actually has a shift...EVERY WEEKEND. She will literally be seen across the street with her best friend having coffee every weekend, but won't be working. Truthfully, we should probably let her go...but it's just not in the nature of the company I work for.
Edit: she's playing us.
Bewitched One 1 month ago
It’s not the nature of the company they work for to fire bad employees? Hell, guess they should all start doing what that girl does 🤷🏼♀️
What do you think ?
Harry Gondalf 1 month ago
16% of the population (that's 1 our of 6!!!) has an IQ less lower than 85 (one standard deviation below average). The US army will not not enlist someone who tests less than 87 IQ. Such people CAN NOT learn. It's hard to find jobs for them, because they typically s***w up everything. Repeat Everything. (Jordan Peterson related a story about a guy who VOLUNTEERED for a charity; they had to let him go because he couldn't stuff envelopes -- couldn't fold the paper.) Therefore it's understandable why so many people are 'the worst employee.' 1 out of 6 in the USA is mentally handicapped (excuse me, I mean "differently abled.":)
spacer 1 month ago
we have a wonderful thing here in sweden called samhall (community, pretty much) that employes people who cant hold regular jobs due to disabilities but can still live a semi normal life. they help around town and keeps it clean and they always have a leader or guideance around if they need support.
Load More Replies...
Papa 1 month ago
I have two. My daughter worked at a restaurant with a salad bar. There were boiled eggs on the salad bar. An new cook was told to replenish the eggs on the salad bar. I assume whoever told him that didn't think it was necessary to tell him that the eggs should be hard boiled, and not raw. He was mistaken.
Papa 1 month ago
One of my co-workers many years ago (long before GPS in cars or phones was a thing, though I don't know if it would have mattered) was driving from Texas to North Dakota. He didn't arrive until 1/2 day or so later than expected. When asked why he just mumbled something unintelligible. At the end of the month when the credit card bill came in the secretary realized he had bought gas twice in the same town in Kansas. Apparently he made a wrong turn, didn't realize it until he had burned most of a half tank of gas, and instead of cutting across he retraced his steps and then proceeded on the original route.
Load More Replies...
hannahbahngswife 1 month ago (edited)
My mom is not an employer, but some of the gems she worked with: • This lady who was OBSESSED with my mom and her coworker. The lady used a second phone to take a picture of the other coworker's profile picture and WhatsApp statuses. She literally said it like she's talking about the weather, and even told my mom that she should change her profile picture from our pet to a picture of herself, so she (the lady) can save her picture. My mom and her coworker lived 2 streets over, and the lady wanted to move close to them. • This girl in her early 20's. Had a different boyfriend every two days, and wanted to have s*x with a male worker at my mom's workplace (even though she was in a relationship). Forgot prices, never bothered to help customers, a lot that got her fired within 1 month.
KatSaidWhat 1 month ago
I could write essays on my former office mate but nobody has time and there is not enough character space. Suffice to say she managed to stay employed for 2.5 years, 6 months of which was her boss telling her she was fired and her refusing to leave. It is now in tribunal which is stupid because this is going to end really badly for her.
Miss Ann Thrope 1 month ago
Not an employee but a client. "Wake Up, Little Suzie came on the radio. She called it the date r@pe song.
Harry Gondalf 1 month ago
Hey lighten up, man! This thread is merely slurping replies from Reddit. Instead, go after the ones who write the stupid quizzes.
Load More Replies... Harry Gondalf 1 month ago
16% of the population (that's 1 our of 6!!!) has an IQ less lower than 85 (one standard deviation below average). The US army will not not enlist someone who tests less than 87 IQ. Such people CAN NOT learn. It's hard to find jobs for them, because they typically s***w up everything. Repeat Everything. (Jordan Peterson related a story about a guy who VOLUNTEERED for a charity; they had to let him go because he couldn't stuff envelopes -- couldn't fold the paper.) Therefore it's understandable why so many people are 'the worst employee.' 1 out of 6 in the USA is mentally handicapped (excuse me, I mean "differently abled.":)
spacer 1 month ago
we have a wonderful thing here in sweden called samhall (community, pretty much) that employes people who cant hold regular jobs due to disabilities but can still live a semi normal life. they help around town and keeps it clean and they always have a leader or guideance around if they need support.
Load More Replies... Papa 1 month ago
I have two. My daughter worked at a restaurant with a salad bar. There were boiled eggs on the salad bar. An new cook was told to replenish the eggs on the salad bar. I assume whoever told him that didn't think it was necessary to tell him that the eggs should be hard boiled, and not raw. He was mistaken.
Papa 1 month ago
One of my co-workers many years ago (long before GPS in cars or phones was a thing, though I don't know if it would have mattered) was driving from Texas to North Dakota. He didn't arrive until 1/2 day or so later than expected. When asked why he just mumbled something unintelligible. At the end of the month when the credit card bill came in the secretary realized he had bought gas twice in the same town in Kansas. Apparently he made a wrong turn, didn't realize it until he had burned most of a half tank of gas, and instead of cutting across he retraced his steps and then proceeded on the original route.
Load More Replies... hannahbahngswife 1 month ago (edited)
My mom is not an employer, but some of the gems she worked with: • This lady who was OBSESSED with my mom and her coworker. The lady used a second phone to take a picture of the other coworker's profile picture and WhatsApp statuses. She literally said it like she's talking about the weather, and even told my mom that she should change her profile picture from our pet to a picture of herself, so she (the lady) can save her picture. My mom and her coworker lived 2 streets over, and the lady wanted to move close to them. • This girl in her early 20's. Had a different boyfriend every two days, and wanted to have s*x with a male worker at my mom's workplace (even though she was in a relationship). Forgot prices, never bothered to help customers, a lot that got her fired within 1 month.
KatSaidWhat 1 month ago
I could write essays on my former office mate but nobody has time and there is not enough character space. Suffice to say she managed to stay employed for 2.5 years, 6 months of which was her boss telling her she was fired and her refusing to leave. It is now in tribunal which is stupid because this is going to end really badly for her.
Miss Ann Thrope 1 month ago
Not an employee but a client. "Wake Up, Little Suzie came on the radio. She called it the date r@pe song.
Harry Gondalf 1 month ago
Hey lighten up, man! This thread is merely slurping replies from Reddit. Instead, go after the ones who write the stupid quizzes.
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