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50 Of The Most Absurd Complaints To HR That They Didn’t Know How To React To
When you have a serious concern at work, like an inappropriate comment or unfair treatment, it’s natural to bring it up with your manager or HR. After all, that’s what they’re there for. But every now and then, people take complaints to a whole new level by reporting the most random, absurd things imaginable.
Today, we’ve compiled some of the most bizarre employee complaints shared on Reddit, and they’re nothing short of hilarious. From someone being “too honest” to typing “too fast,” these grievances are so ridiculous that you’ll wonder how HR kept a straight face.
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#1
Not the most ridiculous but one of my favs..
I had an employee try and fight her attendance point for being tardy because "she got lost in the beauty of the day and forgot to exit off the highway. I shouldn't penalize someone for admiring God's creation.".
Nikki Sevven 5 months ago
"Sorry, but I just had a look at your job description, and 'admiring God's creation' is not one of your duties, so you will be penalized."
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Royal Stray 5 months ago (edited)
Attendance points are so stupid. Assuming this is an office job and she's not in sales, then just work a bit longer that day? Or make sure your task is done on time either way. Her excuse is awful, but people get late sometimes, it happens, as long as it's not a pattern or a position where other people rely on you being on time, then who cares if it's just once and less than 20 min
ॐBoyGanesh 5 months ago (edited)
What type of manager or supervisor fosters a culture that’s so bad that employees have to have demerit points like a juvenile delinquent in a reform school? What the héll kind of job is this? I’ve over 300 employees in positions from bus boy to Hula dancer to life guard to golf pro. Never once have I given them points. I check in with them in the rare chance they’re not able to start work on time to see if I can help to avoid it happening again. They all put in so much effort & ethic that I don’t babysit them & punish them for being human. There’s always a misjudged hire now & then, but they move on quickly. Either in their own or they’re terminated. Everyone who stays thrives & they do so with support. That’s a supervisor or managers job. I suppose I’m ignorant to the type of jobs that require a punishment system.
Asmodeus Hare 5 months ago
It also keeps the managers honest. Worked walmart before the point system. Some of the faves could call out 4 times a month and be fine but me calling out for the third time in the three years I was there was too much.
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Fluffy Cat Sleeps 5 months ago
You get a certain number of points and then if you're late or you call out sick or don't show up then you lose a certain number of points. If you run out and you call in again, then you get fired. You earn them over time, I think, or you may get that number back on a certain date. I know Walmart runs this way.
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David Morgan 5 months ago
"Cool. You're fired. Now you can enjoy it as much as you choose." Just say, "I'm sorry was late, I won't do it again" and move on. People understand and forgive mistakes, they don't like being bullshitted.
RELATED:
#2
Had a manager pull me aside because I didn't talk about myself and no one really knew anything about me after working with me for 2 years. All they knew was that I lived in the area and per my manager "it's off-putting that you only want to talk about work"
A year later, that same manager pulled me aside and told me that I needed to keep things solely on a professional level and that I either shouldn't bring up my non-work life or I should lie so I would "fit in better and stop being so depressing to work around"
I was in a very different tax bracket than everyone else, so while their normal weekends were going to NYC in order to party or spending their weekend on a parent's yacht, my normal weekends were hand washing my laundry in my bathtub and working gig work or seasonal work so I'd have enough to afford groceries.
Seadog 5 months ago
Can't tell how many times I've seen sharing personal life with coworkers backfire. OWrst personal experience for me was a few years back my wife and I bought an office building for her. This was about the same time where I work moved into a new building. I posted a comment on FB about an issue I discovered with wife's office. Contractor at my work took offense and dang near got me fired. I explained to the owners that my post was in reference to my wife's office (contractor did NOT work on her building at any point in time). Owners still made me apologize to the contractor and remove my post. The issue? no insulation in a wall. Contractor insisted he did insulate it (you know, the building he NEVER worked on).What did we find when we opened up the wall? No insulation and no vapor barrier.The way I see it, if the contractor took such personal offense then he's admitting he got caught and there's no insulation in the walls at work building either.
elmortero 5 months ago
Got to love how they write "a very different tax bracket" instead "earning way less"
Zoe Vokes 5 months ago
Maybe not earning less if they were similar level colleagues, but OP’s colleagues had rich parents with private yachts and who were maybe paying rent and bills for them and had trust funds… Manager could have given OP a raise if their life was so depressing for those around him.
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#3
In my first month at a new company an employee told me his title and pay were listed incorrectly and he had actually gotten a promotion 6 months back. Somehow the paperwork was missing from his file. I spoke with the entire leadership team and no, he was definitely not promoted—he was trying to pull a fast one on the new HR manager and has tried before.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago
I had an HR who did the exact opposite of this for me. I'm a bit of a space cadet and he told me I'd been passed over for multiple raises I should have gotten.
Seadog 5 months ago
I've worked places where I didn't even receive a review for years. Worst raise I ever received? Early 90's. There were 3 people between me and the CEO, I'd been there 7 years, my raise was $36 month. Factoring in the hours my position required, that was maybe 15 cents an hour. Left that job and the next place gave me 25 cents after 90 days and apologized it wasn't more
Load More Replies... David Morgan 5 months ago
So he was immediately fired for atempting to commit fraud? Is he mentally subnormal or is the company?
Con O Cuinn 5 months ago
Dude must be good at his job if management are willing to put up with his shenanigans.
The Human Resources department handles its fair share of issues, and not all of them are easy to digest. While some are downright bizarre, like the odd complaints featured in this post, most fall into well-defined categories.
These recurring concerns paint a picture of what employees truly care about. From fairness to safety, workers expect more than just a paycheck. HR may see everything from typing complaints to actual red flags. But some patterns always rise to the top.
#4
Before I was in HR, I was a team lead at a large retail store. An employee came to me with a complaint:
Another team member was friending people on FB but wouldn’t friend him. He wanted me to tell her she had to be FB friends with him, or with no one.
Robert Beveridge 5 months ago
Never, ever, ever be social media friends with people you are actively working with. It WILL bite you someday.
Damned_Cat 5 months ago
I had the same thing happen with an employee on FB. We also had a handful of employees that liked to go to happy hour together. This same employee asked why they were being excluded from "a work sponsored" activity. I had to explain that this was all private activity and not work-related.
ॐBoyGanesh 5 months ago
Wow. If you have to ask why your personality sucks…good luck in life!!!! I’d simply tell the employee that it’s not work sponsored and their coworkers aren’t required to like them or their company. Assuming the employee was an adult, they may need to hear this.
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FranSinclair 5 months ago
Ive had probably 4 sales/service professionals text me afterwards like "hey you were so nice. I imagine youre married..." like i waa just trying to get my members points applied. Thats crazy weird
nottheactualphoto 5 months ago
Is a members point anything like an attendance point?
Load More Replies... #5
Got called "intimidating" asked what I had done to be accused of that.
It was the horrible crime of being tall.
Anthony Elmore 5 months ago
Yeah, probably because they're always looking down on others.
Load More Replies... Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 5 months ago
I was once accused of being "too military", when issuing orders at a structure fire. I was a Career Firefighter, who started out as a Volunteer Firefighter, and yes, I served in the Army. We had a neighboring Volunteer Company show up, without being dispatched and with no officer on the truck, on scene. Chief was pissed. He put me in charge of them, and we got to work. In the AAR & Verbal Debrief. They wrote and said, that "He acted like he was in the military, constantly giving us orders, instead of asking us politely and saying please. And he would not let us go where we wanted." Chief bought me lunch for, and I quote "Successfully controlling the chaos."
Asmodeus Hare 5 months ago
Got called to HR once for admitting one tall woman could be intimidating. Explained my stance with wanting a way to get her incase of angry customer. She grinch-grinned and said "I revoke my complaint and am very behind that idea."
#6
I had a coworker that complained I smelled like cigarette smoke. We worked in a comedy club which is basically a bar. 75 percent of the people that worked there smoked. The first time I went home washed my coat and my work uniform really good. She came up to me and said you still smell like smoke. That time I told her to quit smelling me and leave me alone. I did not want to hear it again. She never said it again.
Roxy222uk 5 months ago
Okay, so if everyone worked in the same environment didn’t they all smell the same? And if not why couldn’t they share what the trick was?
Zoe Vokes 5 months ago
I used to work in a nightclub before the indoor smoking ban in Britain. At the end of a shift my clothes and my hair reeked of cigarette smoke. I had to have a shower and wash my clothes immediately when I got home.
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Karl der Große 5 months ago
When I was a teenager, I interviewed for a part-time job. The woman who interviewed me said that she couldn't hire me because my mother smoked.
Beth Wheeler 5 months ago
The only way to get that smell out of clothes is to add OxyClean to the washer.
Jane Hower 4 months ago
I was a comedy enterainer for many years and would come home and have to put my costume and wigs out on the deck to get rid of as much of the smell of smoke as possible. I performed in bars, restaurants (before non-smoking) and it was awful.
One of the most common complaints? Managers playing favorites. Whether it’s giving choice assignments to a select few or casually inviting only certain team members to lunch, favoritism stirs up resentment fast.
Sometimes it’s subtle, other times it’s blatant. But either way, it makes other employees feel undervalued and ignored. It also chips away at team morale. And once that trust is gone, it’s hard to rebuild.
#7
Had several employees come in to report a hurt goose in the parking lot. I suggested that they call animal control, and they got salty that I didn't jump up and run outside.
They didn't understand why it wasn't HR's job to trap and give medical care to wild animals.
carelantz: I had an employee come tell me "Come quick! I need your help!!" I come running out to the parking lot and she's looking under and around cars. I ask what we are looking for and she says........"an angry racoon!" Middle of the day and she thought I needed to save a rabid racoon!!!
steal_the_beauty: This reminds me of the time the department of health showed up because someone complained that there was too much goose poop outside of the building.
Because we can control where the geese poop? (Geese are little assholes...they probably poop in inconvenient places in purpose anyway)
Damned_Cat 5 months ago (edited)
I used to get calls from employees reporting that there were "big, mean alligator lizards" right outside the door, and the employees were too afraid to walk past them to come into work. I had to go out and move these friendly foot-long lizards to the bushes so staff could pass.
Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 5 months ago
Daily geese are mean and angry little shites. But... a Christmas Goose, tastes yummy.
Seadog 5 months ago
The only good goose is a dead goose. Anyone who thinks they're pretty or cute or nice knows nothing about geese. They are an invasive species. If allowed to remain in an area, they will destroy every living thing around, run off all other wildlife, if it's at a water source, they will render it unusable. Once they've made a nuclear waste site of the area, they will leave and find another area to destroy.
Sue User 5 months ago
Disagree with steal_the_beauty. Having to walkwsy into work covered in goose poop is a health hazard. There are ways to deter the geese .
Mark Alexander 4 months ago
Does it involve a boat, a fox, and a bag of corn?
Load More Replies... #8
I got fired from a job for 'Breaking into conversations' and 'Inviting myself out to lunch with coworkers'.
when I was denied unemployment I appealed. Went to the appeal. They didn't even show up. Showed the guy my write up / term. He shook his head and walked out.
Got back pay a few days later.
Roxy222uk 5 months ago
The OP may not have the best social skills, but even in that case that’s a ridiculous reason to fire them. Are they doing their job properly and working with the team at work?
Robert Beveridge 5 months ago
There are some companies that expect you to fraternize outside of work with your co-workers. Japan is notorious for this, and idiots who value "hustle culture" or whatever tf the kids are calling it these days use Japan as a model for what they want to see in the workplace.
Load More Replies... Beth Wheeler 5 months ago
Businesses will do anything they can to try and keep people from getting their unemployment.
Asmodeus Hare 5 months ago
The one that fired me did a great job of sinking my appeal... they got themselves put under investigation until my unemployment window closed and the unemployment office told me I could no longer appeal it.
Load More Replies... #9
“Why do you guys have coffee and tea available but not organic coconut water?”
🙃.
Andrew Keir 5 months ago
apparently, so has the organic coconut water ...
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Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 5 months ago (edited)
Because it takes like c**p, and too much of it will give you the craps.
KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
Ha, just mentioned elsewhere that our boss said we are not a starbucks when the milk and tea demands were getting wild. Also got asked yesterday why we don't have a water cooler on our floor. Ma'am, we are a medical office with limited space. Where is your £100 water bottle (we are in a very affluent area).
Lack of transparency is another major issue that lands on HR’s desk. When leadership withholds information, employees feel left in the dark. Whether it’s about company direction, hiring decisions, or performance evaluations, silence can breed suspicion. Open communication fosters a sense of belonging and trust. Without it, employees start to disengage. And eventually, they start looking elsewhere.
#10
I do construction and maintenance. And we installed all new LED lights and my coworker told me his light was emitting so much heat that he was going to have a heat stroke.
I told him over the weekend we swapped out the light but we didn’t and the following week he said thank you so much that he could tell a major difference.
Asmodeus Hare 5 months ago
I had the same complaint once. HR went to set me straight but 2 minutes in they started sweating heavily. They then grabbed the thermometer and saw the light was emitting enough heat to warm up a frozen meal. Come to find out the foreman in charge put in 2 heatlamp bulbs to replace the blown ones. I was let go to bury that as fast as they could before I could get evidence.
weatherwitch 4 months ago
LED doesn't give out heat? Perhaps he had a virus and was being affected by feeling hot and the look of the new light. I'm being charitable 🤷🏻♀️ Perhaps he was a twåt 🤣🤣🤣
#11
My supervisor pulled me aside one time, apologized to me for what he was about to say. He proceeded to tell me that my wall mate (low cubicle walls) complained to him that I “meow”. Um, yes, I am a cat lover but I do NOT meow.
What this nit was actually hearing was me saying “OW” when I moved the wrong way and aggravated my newly torn ligament in my shoulder.
Had a coworker complain that I “drank too much water”. Had to explain to HR that I have neuropathy and I’m usually always dehydrated.
David Morgan 5 months ago
Unless the co-worker was supplying the water you drank, they can stfu.
LookASquirrel 5 months ago
Seriously! I don't have a disorder but I love drinking water. When my coworker and I got a proper office I bought a mini fridge and kept it full of water and made sure the people in our immediate department could help themselves. Nothing better than high quality H2O!
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GalPalAl 5 months ago
One share an officle (cubicle with tall walls and have more square footage) where the walls were probably 7 feet tall. I tried to play music on my desktop with the volume so low that I could barely hear it. Neighbor asked me to keep the music down. Was certain I would get another complain for typing too loud but luckily that didn't happen
weatherwitch 4 months ago
The too much water is ridiculous. I have Systemic Sjogrens and dry lung, I drink a Lot of water!! But also I want to hear your (me)ow!! See how cat like it actually is 🙄🤣
Deth Invictus 5 months ago
If you're a noisy drinker it would become irritating - especially to those who can't stand noisy eaters. Constant gulping? Might be grounds for violence! 🤣
#12
In the break room, one woman was showing her co-workers the dating profile of a guy she had been talking to online. Guy happened to be the husband of one of the co-workers she was showing. The supervisor came to me panicked & didn't find me very helpful when I informed him this was not a work issue & they just need to keep it out the workplace.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago
OOF! Yeah it's not a problem until it becomes a problem. I hope they both dumped the creep.
JB 5 months ago
This feels like bad HR, because it involves employees and company time. This is like the principal who told me, the teacher, that "it happened online, it's not our problem" when a student started sharing p**n in a group chat using school accounts on a platform we paid for in a chat that started as a group project but then others got invited to and it involved like eight of my students and they were all under 11...but yeah "not our problem." F**k you, Albert. Do your g*****n job.
Royal Stray 5 months ago
I mean a school is one thing because they have a certain legal responsibility over their students. Also if it's not a uni the students are underage. But what is he supposed to do except telling them to either 1. stop showing dating profiles at work 2. Recommend a divorce attorney or marriage counseling. He can't exactly do anything tangible. He can't force anyone to stop dating people or to break up
Load More Replies... Seadog 5 months ago
Friend of a friend had a side chick. Woke up one day and heard voices in the living room. Knew one was the wife but couldn't quite place the other. He eased to the door and peaked out. It was the side chick and they were discussing how they were going to k**l him and dispose of the body. He jumped out the window and ran to friends house.
David Beaulieu 5 months ago
I mean I feel for the lady finding out like that, but isn't this her and her husband's issue.
Lee Gilliland 5 months ago
This woman comes on to a worker's husband and it's not a work problem? Really?
he_aint_heavy 5 months ago
Who is the married person with a dating profile and why do you assume the woman came on to the guy?
Load More Replies...Then there’s the issue of bullying or hostile work environments. No one wants to come to work dreading how they’ll be treated. From snide remarks and passive-aggressive behavior to outright harassment, a toxic culture can crush even the best teams. HR departments are often tasked with navigating these sensitive situations. But without real action from leadership, nothing changes. And the damage only spreads.
Another popular complaint? Not enough paid time off. As work-life balance becomes more important than ever, employees are speaking up about the need for rest. PTO isn't just a luxury; it’s a basic necessity for mental health. Unfortunately, some employers still act as if time off is a reward, not a right. But burnt-out teams don’t perform well. And the resentment that builds can quietly poison company culture.
#13
I had a (male) boss tell my department (full of ladies) that we needed to look more pleasant while we were working. As designers, we’re on computers drawing all day trying to concentrate. Sorry that we’re not smiling and trying to be pleasant-looking for you while we’re deep in thought.
KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
Ha, I have a Day of the Dead mask that I delighted in wearing on the Tube.
Load More Replies... Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 5 months ago
Dear Mr. Controlling Sexist Boss, I will choose to smile, when I feel like smiling. So please keep your opinions and comments to yourself, unless they are directly pertaining to the my assigned project. Anything else, regarding your perceptionabout my appearance, I will consider to a form of harassment.
Marsha Hultberg 5 months ago
God forbid you concentrate... (and not be pretty ornaments for the office. SMFH)
Royal Stray 5 months ago
I mean I'd get it if someone came in in their PJ's or hoodie and sweatpants. But as long as it's decent clothes that's just dumb
#14
That I parked in a handicapped parking spot without there being a handicapped plate on my car, and went right past the office manager, past HR, and straight to the 'Big Boss' in an explitive-laden email.
'Big Boss' made a personal trip to our building, (15 miles from his own work location), and explained the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) to the complaintent, and some of the extras required by it like parking, doorways, restroom access, ramps for wheelchair access, and the like.
Complaintent failed to see the valid handicapped placard hanging from my rear view mirror.
Mike F 5 months ago
Big boss was possibly tired of the gritching from the "complaintent". If they were comfortable doing it in this instance they have probably done it before.
Load More Replies... Dr Jimmy 03 5 months ago
Or, complainant chose to to not see your placard. Either way, BB was correct to show up and directly address the complaint. It keeps the company on the right side of ADA laws, and (should) put complainant on notice that bogus claims do not fly here. (Do I sound like I've been the BB's designee for a case like this? Why, yes. Yes I have.)
Seadog 5 months ago
I could've easily gotten a handicap parking permit decades ago but people like this that think everyone who isn't a paraplegic is faking makes me not want one regardless how much pain it causes me to walk from the far end of the lot.
ILoveMySon 4 months ago
I have plates and a placard which I use when needed. If you need one occasionally, it is worth having..
Load More Replies... weatherwitch 4 months ago
I'm quite fascinated by the hanging of the handicapped placard from the rear view mirror, we just pop our disaoBlue Badges on the dashboard 🇬🇧 And also, that bloke was on a twåt
Asmodeus Hare 5 months ago
Made a similar comment but I backed that up with a video of going around the car twice. The woman flat out said "I have the placard in my glove box" The officer picking up a shoplifter told her to get it on the rear view before he finds the car first.
#15
Had an employee quit and was very, very angry because another employee smiled at them.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago
Was that employee a gorilla? I've heard you aren't supposed to smile at them.
Hmmm hmmmm 5 months ago
This doesn't belong on this list , clearly smiling is utterly abhorrent and inexcusable !
Difficult managers are a universal workplace headache. Whether it’s poor communication, micromanagement, or a lack of empathy, a bad boss can ruin a great job. People often don’t quit companies; they quit managers. HR hears this one again and again. Strong leadership requires training, feedback, and self-awareness. Without it, turnover stays high, and trust stays low.
#16
I had a female employee complain that another female employee dressed too provocatively and made her feel uncomfortable. In reality, they both dressed about the same but they didn’t like each other.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago
"Jane, you ignorant s**t!" Dan Aykroyd on SNL circa 1975. IYKYK.
detective miller's hat 5 months ago
I had a male co-worker years ago make this complaint about me. I didn't dress any differently than the other female employees, I just have giant b0obs.
#17
"why'd you park in my parking spot I've been parking there for 17 years" followed by " it must be a gen z thing to not think about things like that". Mind you we have a single row for parking and no assigned spots lol.
Michael Largey 5 months ago
If he's been parking there for 17 years, he should consider going home once in a while.
nottheactualphoto 5 months ago
I once worked at a place that did have assigned parking spots. And more often than not, one of the company cars would be in my spot and I would unwillingly steal somebody else' spot.
Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 5 months ago
I am Gen X. And this could either be some of us or Boomers.
tori Ohno 5 months ago
People are creatures of habit, the spots aren't assigned, but everybody has "their" spot. They always park there. The new kids just getting hired on after graduation need to learn this.
KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
Or the old guard can accept that times are changing and make compromises too.
Load More Replies... #18
This was abput 10 years ago, a guy in accounts pretended his wife had died.
He faked her funeral, took compassionate leave (quite a lot of extra leave, as the wife was Indian and he claimed he had to go to India to sort out her estate), was given £500ish from an office collection.
Unfortunately he hadn't let his wife in on the scam, and she phoned the office looking for him one afternoon.
I believe the complaint that came in from his supervisor was 'You know X's wife died, well I just had a phone call from the afterlife'.
He was fired on the spot, sued for his extra leave, and is the reason we ask grieving workers for death certificates before we allow any extra PTO.
Beth Wheeler 5 months ago
It takes time to get the death certificate and you definitely do not get it before the funeral. When my mother died the cremation place kept sending it to the Dr's main office address and not the nursing home she was in even after being told every week for almost 2 mos. I was on first name basis with the lady in Durham County. She called me 1 day when I was on my way home from work and said she finally had my copies and they would be in the mail the next morning. You can't do anything without the death certificate. I had to send copies to the life insurance, state and federal retirement. I couldn't pay any of the bills until I got that money.
Not-a-Clue (she/her) 5 months ago
In the UK you can't arrange a funeral without a death certificate.
Load More Replies... Missed promotions are another sore spot that sparks frustration. When hard work isn’t recognized or rewarded, employees feel invisible. Especially when they see less qualified colleagues moving ahead. HR is often pulled into these conversations, trying to explain decisions that lack clarity. Clear criteria and fair reviews matter. Otherwise, ambition turns into disappointment.
#19
That I'm too close with my bosses boss and I shouldn't be so friendly at work. Bosses boss is my best friend of over 20 years, my ex husband, we share dogs together. Yeah- we are going to act friendly. Who was the complaint from? My boss. Voiced to? His boss, my ex. It was an awkward but funny conversation between us.
Zoe Vokes 5 months ago
Obviously it was an amicable divorce if she still calls him her best friend of 20 years. And the dogs are happy to not be split up or stop seeing one of their parents.
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Lyoness 4 months ago
Many jobs ago I became friends with my boss's boss (our director). We'd go out to lunch now and then and one day when the lunch went long she (director friend) left my boss a voicemail explaining where I was and that I'd be back soon. My boss didn't find that acceptable and escalated it over her boss's head (to my director friend's boss, the VP). Myself, my boss and our director got pulled in front of the VP and bawled out for taking a long lunches, the director in particular was berated for keeping me from work. My director friend looked at the VP and laughed, then asked him if he was really giving her schtick for taking an extra 20 minutes for lunch once. The VP had been under the impression we'd been gone all afternoon and it was happening regularly. He ushered us out and kept my boss behind. I gather she got a talking to because after that she never commented on our friendship (or how long we took for lunch) again.
#20
A coworker complained to HR because in a conversation about birthdays, someone asked, "When's your birthday?"
Never quite got past that.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago (edited)
Asking how old a co-worker is can be problematic because of ageism but asking about their birthday? Were they an alien who was hatched from an egg? BTW if we hatched from eggs, would we celebrate the day our mom laid the egg or the day we hatched? 🤔
Debby Keir 5 months ago
I only have a birthday every 4 years - "yeah but what DATE is your birthday?"
Cydney Golden 5 months ago
I was once talking to a co-worker who commented she'd just bought a new car. I asked what kind and she rather icily answered, "That's personal." Well okay.
Tom Brincefield 5 months ago
Sometime in the next 6 months. Or the last six months. I get confused.
#21
I had a coworker complain that I was « unfriendly » because I didn’t want to spend 20mins discussing my weekend each Monday morning. Let me do my work g*****n it 😆.
Nathan Lewis 5 months ago (edited)
Same. I keep to myself, don't speak unless spoken to, and only talk about work. Big man, who made sure to constantly remind us that he has thick skin and doesn't hold a grudge, was complaining multiple times per week that I didn't talk to him. My dude, your skin is so thin I wouldn't use it to wipe my a*s.
KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
I'm 51, stop asking me what I got up to on a normal weekend because it's washing, cleaning, napping, reading, listening to music and drinking whiskey. The only thing that changes is what order I do it in. That said, this is going to be my third weekend in a row that I am actually leaving the house to do something more interesting. And next weekend is a massive braai too.
Mike F 5 months ago
The flip side, having to sit and listen to the "boss" carrying on about his weekend. No, we don't want to hear about your exploits as a 40 yo dude chasing 20 yo girls. Or how pi$$ed you were because they couldn't get into the bar, perhaps because they were underage for the bar?
Child of the Stars 5 months ago
This is one big reason I love my job. There's a 30-minute crossover at the beginning and end of my shift; otherwise, I work entirely by myself (unless I'm training someone new).
KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
Some of us have learnt to specifically avoid lunch during certain times due to who will be in the kitchen at that time...
Load More Replies...Inadequate professional development is a quieter complaint, but just as critical. Employees want to grow, learn, and feel challenged. When companies don’t offer mentorship, learning programs, or a clear path forward, people get stuck. HR teams hear this when engagement starts to drop. Investing in growth isn’t just good for morale, it’s good for business. Because nobody wants to stay stagnant forever.
#22
That i didnt share the food that i bought for myself.
GalPalAl 5 months ago
I was in the waiting room at a Dr. office once and decided to chew a piece of gum. Some rando person also waiting asked if I had another piece. I said no, they act offended and chatted up someone else in the waiting room like old chums. People are stupid and awful.
Michael Largey 5 months ago
No, but you can have this one when I'm through with it.
Load More Replies... KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
"Are you going to eat all of that?" - I wasn't, but I am now, IBS consequences be damned, gannet. Cooked two fish cakes one day, one for then, the other for the next day. Gannet literally still eating her own food asked what I was doing with the other one that was cooling down. Like, THIS is why you needed ozempic for your wedding and why it's all back on, guuurl.
#23
I had a supervisor tell me that I’m too honest. In a job handling other people’s money.
Michael Largey 5 months ago
A financial advisor doesn't have to advise the best investment plan for you. He can suggest one that isn't as good for you but is better for him. Use a fiduciary advisor. They can't do that.
#24
That I type too fast and it made ppl feel uncomfortable like they felt it made them seem less productive and felt rushed to complete their tasks.
Zoe Vokes 5 months ago
It”s not incompetence to have a slower typing speed. I doubt their colleagues are typing five words a minute, just not typing as fast as OP. Lots of people look at the keys to type, others can touch type. They’re still capable of doing their job.
Load More Replies... Beth Wheeler 5 months ago
Some people type faster than others big deal. My SIL can type 120 wpm. I can do around 70 wpm on a really good day.
KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
My best ever was 98wpm. Back in 1987, my father brought home a computer that had a game on it that you had to type the letters going across the screen which got faster and faster and the words got longer, so I learnt to touch type age 13 😆 Then I worked NHS and man, was I flying through clinic letters like there was no tomorrow.
Load More Replies... Seadog 4 months ago
Imagine how they'd feel around me. You may have seen in a previous comment, I can talk on 2 phones at once while using 2 PCs. An ability I've developed over the years working for understaffed stores. Not quite as good at it as I was 20 years ago but that's just part of growing old.
KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
As said above, I apparently am too fast for our software. Medical software...
And then there are extreme cases, situations involving harassment or deeply harmful behavior. These require swift, serious action from HR and leadership. From inappropriate comments to discrimination or worse, these are the complaints that can’t be ignored. Mishandling them can damage reputations and ruin lives. However, handling them with care can protect the culture and help people heal.
#25
I work in the automotive field, had a coworker complain to manager that I wouldn’t let him use my tools, to make him money, seriously!!! I purchased those tools to make me a faster/ better technician, he can buy his own tools!!!! Later the same month, manager actually told me I need to teach coworker how to perform my job, so he can make money/ take work from me, told them both to hire a new tech, I’m quitting,,,,,,,,,.
John Dilligaf 5 months ago
most mechanics I know are very, very protective of their toolboxes. I've heard of fights starting when somebody borrows a tool without asking.
BeesEelsAndPups 5 months ago
Dumb to have your employees competing against each other. That leads to low morale, sabotage, and ultimately unhappy customers
Beth Wheeler 5 months ago
A good mechanic can leave today and have another job tomorrow Saw it happen when I worked in the service dept of dealerships as a warranty clerk and cashier.
#26
I had an employee complain when her supervisor said good morning.
Anthony Elmore 5 months ago
Yeah, honestly. That complaint is fairly relatable.
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Peeka_Mimi 5 months ago
I am white passing because I am half-white, but I was raised by my Nany who was bilingual and made the best Mexican food this side of the Rio Grande. I have very little to do with my father's side of the family. They were always mean to my mom and I don't trust them. But my last name is Irish. Anyway, I was Squad Leader in the Army and a woman in my squad was there from Mexico, she signed up for citizenship. Anyway, I always greeted her in Spanish at PT formation. She went to the EEOC NCO and said I was being racist and mocking her by speaking Spanish. Lolwut??? I was called in and I explained my life story and that I am Chicana. He dismissed me amd she ended up getting extra duty for a week. 🤷🏻♀️
#27
We were expecting a huge snowstorm (not unusual - this is snow country) so I sent a note to all the staff to plan accordingly and work from home the next day so we could all stay safe.
One of our cloud architects said that if we were expected to work from home, the company should reimburse us for our internet costs. I calculated that 8 hours of internet use would cost at most $1.07, told him if it bothered him so much that I would personally reimburse him, and to please be patient as I went to my car to dig spare change out of the seat. He then told me it was "just an idea".
Papa 5 months ago
Apparently he lacked the intellectual capacity to realize that his internet costs were minor compared to the cost to commute.
Seadog 4 months ago
I was thinking just tell him he's welcome to work from the office instead. See how fast he figured out he was being ridiculous.
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Brian Droste 5 months ago
Doesn't he pay his internet service on a monthly basis? So it should already be paid for. So why is he so worried about it?
Ellen Samberg 5 months ago
I would just say in the message that if anyone had any issue with the "cost" of working from home, they're welcome to commute to the office in the blizzard.
Dr Jimmy 03 5 months ago
DO NOT tell an employee anything like that. That's a liability lawsuit waiting to happen.
Load More Replies...While the serious issues definitely require the time and attention of HR and managers, these posts shine a light on the ones that really don’t. From outrageously petty to hilariously absurd, some complaints are more comedy than crisis. Which one had you laughing or shaking your head in disbelief? Have you ever heard something this ridiculous at your own workplace? We’d love to hear your wildest office stories. Drop them in the comments!
#28
On day number one at the naval supply center engineering branch, someone told me i should work slower, as i'm making the rest of them look bad.
Ace 5 months ago (edited)
This sort of behaviour has been used as a comedic plot basis in loads of TV and movies over the years, but actually has a much less ridiculous-sounding basis. In many jobs it might be technically possible to work faster by putting more physical effort in but potentially at the expense of one's health. Being completely exhausted at the end of each day should not be the objective, nor putting oneself and others at risk by running instead of walking all the time, for example.
Seadog 4 months ago
Reminds me of the welder applying for a position years ago where the pay is listed as $20 - 40/hr. Sample weld required so he made 2 welds. One sloppy and one picture perfect. When asked about the difference he simply said, "this is a $20/hr weld, this is a $40/hr weld."
Load More Replies... geezeronthehill 5 months ago
My work ethic always matched their pay ethic.
Load More Replies... Mike F 5 months ago
In my first factory job I assigned to a production job after I made my bones in the warehouse. The department "leader" was a jaded old SOB who had the worst combover I'd ever seen, but that was beside the point. He was training me on a machine and told me "they want us to get 1000 an hour, but only give them 750 or 800. My first day I beat it, not by much, but I did and the old man got so angry with me he stopped talking to me.
KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
Genuinely got told I was working too fast for our software. That still has me frowning.
Child of the Stars 5 months ago
On the other hand, we have a newish employee who is desperately trying to prove herself by doing all the work by herself. Except she does it wrong, and when we redo it and try to explain how to do it properly, she goes crying to management that we're all bullying her. When one manager trys to explain, she goes a level up to complain about the manager. She's now at the level of the boss's boss's boss's boss, who is refusing to talk to her about this nonsense and she's threatening to quit 🤦♀️
Day Andie 5 months ago
And everybody's in line chanting: Doit! Doit! Doit! Doit! Doit! Doit!
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#29
That I used hyperbole which made me untrustworthy- the specific example they gave was me saying “I’m so hungry I could eat a million pancakes” when we were having breakfast catered. They had one other similar example I don’t remember. It wasn’t anything related to our work. Truly baffling still tickles me to this day to think about 😂.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago
My favorite is to threaten to eat someone's face! On my last day at that job they got a cake with my face on it and because I had bloodwork the next day, everyone ate it but me.
Debby Keir 5 months ago
Better than eat my pants.... (pants in UK English is somewhat different to the US meaning)
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Zaach 5 months ago
In one week I was reprimanded for coming back from break 2 minutes late and coming back from break 2 minutes before my time was up
Michael Largey 5 months ago
Well, His followers don't rely on what He said much. He sounds too "woke" for them.
Load More Replies... BeesEelsAndPups 5 months ago
The company ordered 1 million pancakes, and were dismayed by how many remained uneaten
Ripley 5 months ago
"I'm so hungry I could eat a monkey's b*m through a cane chair". Don't ask me where it came from, but it was always my favourite silly saying.
nottheactualphoto 5 months ago
"It's hot enough to boil a monkey's bսm in here, your Majesty."
Load More Replies... #30
I had a coworker complain I don’t speak English.
I’m a Brit and have been in the USA for 32 years.
#31
Was told by my manager that we were not supposed to work any overtime that wasn’t approved of in advance. At that point my only overtime was generally staying an extra 15-30 minutes on occasion (others were a***ing it) to finish something I didn’t want to waste time trying to remember where I was at when I came back to it the next day. I followed the request and started clocking out right at 8 hours and after a few months got a complaint that I wasn’t willing to stay late even though I had been specifically told not to.
Dragon mama 5 months ago
So what they really wanted was for you to stay late and NOT take overtime pay. No surprise there.
Seadog 4 months ago
Worked for AutoZone. Every week the manager would go in and remove any OT from the staffs pay. Every week for the 5+ years I was at that store. Did the Dm and up know? Had to. Each day the reports show what everyone worked then at the end of the week those numbers changed. Corporate knows the store employees can't afford a lawyer to fight it so they let it happen.
Load More Replies... KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
"Can you put that in writing so it bites you in the jacksie later please?"
#32
One of my favourites from the other half who is in HR.
So Mr Blue and Ms. Pink work together for some time. At some point their inter office flirting becomes too much for Ms. Pink, and she goes to HR.
Apparently Mr Blue has been sending her texts and making overtures that the married Ms. Pink does not want and needs to stop.
Mr Blue is pulled into HR, and the go over his behaviour. He's going to be suspended while they determine if he'll be terminated. This is inappropriate and boarders on harassment. He seems to understand, but something is off with him. The he asks "Is she saying she didn't *want* me to do this?".
"Yes" comes the answer, "this wasn't something co-workers do. You're single and dont understand the full scope of what's going on.".
"Hold on a sec". Mr Blue pulls out his phone and shows a text of Ms. Pink with her naked, spread eagle along with a steamy note. Then another, and another. "I'll send them to you for your research.".
HR regroups, ends the meeting and does more investigation.
Turns out they'd been screwing for months, hubby was getting suspicious and she needed an out. They both got disciplined by HR, though her marriage fell apart and she had to carry the knowledge with her that most of HR had seen her naughty bits.
GalPalAl 5 months ago
Again, not embarrassed by being caught after lying and trying to really get someone in real trouble? I cannot wrap my hear around this logic but have to ask are these cases of worms eating people's brains or maybe a brain tumor? How can so many people be so obtuse and out of touch with reality?
Michelle Zook 5 months ago
I like the term "naughty bits". It's playful and a little s**y in my opinion.
David Morgan 5 months ago
Sounds like b******t. If that guy showed a n**e photo of a person to the HR team, he's essentially distributing sexually explicit images of a person without their knowledge or consent. Ms Pink would have left the job with a HUGE settlement and Blue would have been out on his ear for exposing them to the lawsuit.
Robert Beveridge 5 months ago
Also depends on where you live. In the US, as we discovered last year, it now seems to be considered perfectly acceptable to blow up a n**e photo to massive proportions and display it in the House of Representatives. (non-consensually, I mean, in case there's a question)
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Batwench 5 months ago
I hate the term ‘naughty bits’, they are as much a part of your body as your nose.
Seadog 4 months ago
Pictures are forever. If you don't want to risk others seeing them, don't take them. As for the infidelity, if you're not prepared for the outcome, don't take the risk.
Beth Wheeler 5 months ago
Why do people take those nasty pics, somebody else will see them at some point.
#33
I have a presentation on our health and wellness programs throughout the organization. afterwards one of the VPs comes to me saying that they felt disrespected because I didn’t mention their health and wellness programs.
I said I was unaware of them. what are they. She admitted to not having any.
I then said that over the last decade I have tried to bring programs to your clients and you have never shown any interest.
She then mumbled something about my presentations being more inclusive.
so next time I guess i will call out that her program does not have any wellness programs so that she feels included.
GalPalAl 5 months ago
Please point out my shortcomings in a presentation to the company so I feel included. Too bad there is no workshop to fix being dumb
Mark Alexander 4 months ago
I've been in corporate for decades. I assure you there are workshops to fix dumb. There are, however, no programs to correctly identify mandatory attendees.
Load More Replies... #34
My small company acquired another even smaller company last year which came with two new direct reports for me. The whole acquisition was so poorly planned and nothing went smoothly.
Because of this, there was a lot of aggravating things getting in the way of those two new employees daily workflows. As their manager, I did my best to try and fix these situations for them since it wasn’t at all their fault the transition was so messy. They were both very happy with me throughout the year because of this.
At the end of the year when it came time for my review, my boss, who really had nothing to ding me for because I had a pretty great year, dinged me for “making the transition too easy for them” …what?? She suggested I should have made them solve more problems themselves. It was so stupid.
geezeronthehill 5 months ago
Did she want them to be productive sooner, or just suffer? Boss ain't management material.
Don Adams 5 months ago
Some managers that they have to put something negative in every review. I had a colleague that had "desk is a fire hazard" on their review. It was cluttered, as the employee was very productive.
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Timothy Yeager 5 months ago
She was looking a reason to deny or reduce a potential raise. $h!tty behavior.
#35
I had an employee report that her orchid, which she had left in a common area, had been stolen. For some reason we looked into this and security managed to see on camera who had taken it. I spoke with the guy and he said the orchid was not in great shape so he decided to take it home to nurse it back to health... I asked him to bring it back to work. Biggest waste of time ever.
Nadine Debard 5 months ago
Yes, but when you understand their needs they bloom each year for months. The secrets are: #1 not too much heat. They like 20-25°C, not more. No direct sun, never. #2 not too much water, and filtered water. They hate being too moist and they die if so. Keep the pot dry. When they bloom, I water them only every other week, 1 small glass for 3 plants. #3 darkness (12 hours a day at least) and chill (16-18°C) for 15 days before the blooming period will get them to bloom.
Load More Replies... Anthony Elmore 5 months ago
This... is actually a pretty reasonable complaint. No one would expect someone to steal a houseplant... which the guy totally did, even if it was for good intentions, and I really doubt the employee didn't realize that this would be considered theft. When the plant WAS stolen, the employee asked HR to do their job. OP sounds like a f*****g nightmare to work with.
Bec 5 months ago
The thief may not have realized that the plant belonged to someone specific since it was left in a common area
Load More Replies... KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
Someone threw out my bulbous plant while I was on leave. It had green stalks, it was due to bud again next month but apparently aesthetics were more important than life.
Brian Droste 5 months ago (edited)
The last company I worked for, the first year during Christmas somebody brought two Poinsettias in. After Christmas no one was taking care of them. So I brought then home. Never heard a word from anyone about them.
weatherwitch 4 months ago
Oh that's just rotten all round. He'd taken it to care for it and nurse it thinking it was company owned presumably. She thought her property was stolen. She's now outted as someone who can't look after plants 🌿💚😂💚🌿
#36
Not sure if I would call this a complaint, but a few months ago I had an employee come tell me someone sneezed in the employee cafeteria and "wanted to make me aware.".
Seadog 4 months ago
Exactly. This sounds like the kind of place where more than one woman is going to wear enough perfume for the whole building and with my allergies, sneezing is guaranteed.
Load More Replies... Colleen Glim 5 months ago
Allergy season is a thing. I’ve been sneezing pretty consistently for three months now
Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 5 months ago
Hey... after having COVID-19, more than once, due to working in Emergency Services. I get a little edgy when people cough and sneeze in enclosed spaces. 😂
LookASquirrel 5 months ago
I feel ya. My husband 's job puts him in contact with hospital workers. In spite of all precautions pretty much everyone got it before the vaccines came out. Lucky he brought it home to me and I got long covid. Then i had a surgery just before the new 2nd new booster came out and got it again.. When people cough or sneeze in their hands i want to run and bathe in sanitizer! I'm all boosted but so was my mom when she got it but luckily it was mild. Her coworkers are some anti vaxxers🤦🏻♀️
Load More Replies... David Morgan 5 months ago
If the person had sneezed onto food-prep surfaces, cutlery/crockery and not done anything about it, that's a totally valid reason to warn HR. People could get very sick if someone that gross is wandering the office.
weatherwitch 4 months ago
Was this during the non lock down Pandemic perhaps? It's the only reason I can think of
#37
I have two favorites from the same job:
First was someone complaining to another “I feel like they just keep focusing on my mistakes!” and the other goes, “then stop making mistakes!”
Second, a coworker had a little Christmas tree with three bears holding hands around it (think beanie babies or something) and someone went to HR to make her take it down because it “looked like the bears were doing witchcraft.”.
weatherwitch 4 months ago
Oh that's really sad. Wee bears holding paws around the Christmas tree just sounds sweet and wholesome 🎄 I'm Pagan and don't celebrate it but I'd find her display quite charming
Mark Alexander 4 months ago
Please... stop making idiots think their point is correct.
Load More Replies... Andrew Keir 5 months ago
How is it that the complainant was so aware of what witchcraft looks like ?
#38
I had one employee who walked out in the middle of his shift after getting into an argument with a coworker . When I called him into my office to explain his situation, he denied the argument (even though we have footage), but insisted he left work because he was experiencing extreme hemmoroid ruptures and bleeding from his a*s.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago (edited)
He lost the argument so bad he was literally butt hurt.
GalPalAl 5 months ago
Denies picking a fight with someone but offers that his r****m is bleeding as a suitable excuse?
#39
A tenured employee quit, tearfully stating during an exit interview that we could have kept her talents on board had we simply offered more food days/catered pizza lunches.
This was an employee already on the radar for FMLA a***e. She was back re-applying in about 6 months. She was not rehired.
Ace 5 months ago
Thanks. Presumably that just means she was taking time off under false pretences?
Load More Replies... Dr Jimmy 03 5 months ago
The canny manager and HR staffer will have carefully documented the catered food & pizza comments.
#40
We had an HR complaint once that an employee clicked their mouse too loudly.
JB 5 months ago (edited)
If you've ever had a a coworker do it, you know. Like an 80-yr-old trying to figure it out for the first time, just pow pow pow on the button, finger slapping down and everything...I understand the complaint.
Load More Replies... Dr Jimmy 03 5 months ago
The 1st gen of desktop computer keyboards & rodents (which came later) were loud clickers. Some managers back then (1980s-2000s) considered the noise to be a sign of productivity. I'm pretty sure a few still do.
#41
Some staff wanted me to arrange an exorcism because they were convinced their work building was haunted.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 5 months ago
Sounds like a good excuse for a team building exercise to me. I'd definitely bring in one of my Wiccan friends to do it.
Anthony Elmore 5 months ago
I don't know. Karen's not gonna like you bringing a Wiccan into work. On the other hand, I'd totally pay to see a contest between priests/practitioner of various religions competing to see who can exercise the most ghosts out of OP's work, so I say go for it.
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Kristiina Männiste 5 months ago
They had someone who came to work even after death and that without any pay and they STILL complained?
Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 5 months ago
Well in all honesty... I am most definitely not a fan of ghosts, snakes, or places where either dwell on a regular basis.
#42
I had some Asian-style flip flop sandals that had a straw-like substance on the footbed. They would slap against the sole of my foot and make noise when I walked. A coworker (whom I didn’t really get along with) complained to me about the noise they made.
After that, I wore them nearly every day, all summer long.
Lady Eowyn 5 months ago
I hate the sound of flip flops, but I'm not going to tell someone not to wear them.
Seadog 4 months ago
Place my wife worked had windows that weren't tall but went full length across the office. Picture 18" tall, 6 feet or more above the floor. Some of the workers put some of those little solar motion thingy's in the window. Some annoying person from another department complained about the clicking noise (which was only noticeable in this department, not from hers. This prompted every employee in that department to buy and bring in every one of those things they could find. Picture these windows some 80 feet long lined completely with those little things all clicking to their own pace. Guess who avoided coming to that department as much as possible?
KatSaidWhat 5 months ago
Flashback to a colleague saying "all right, Friday" to a wench with her clippety clop heels. Sadly the humour was lost on her and she said it wasn't the weekend yet. So double lol for me.
Beth Wheeler 5 months ago
🤣 When I was in 8th or 9th grade the cheerleaders had pompoms on their shoes with bells. I wasn't s cheerleader but I put bells on my shoes and would shake 1 foot in 1 class because nobody really liked that teacher because she was mean. Some other girls also put bells on their shoes so she didn't know who it was unless she saw whose feet were moving.
#43
Letter complaint: "The Doctor called me fat!".
Looked up patient weight, patient unambiguously fat. BMI 50+, Doctor was giving results of positive test for non-alcohol related fatty liver disease and corresponding dietary advice.
Wrote the patient a non-pology letter, gently hinting that choice of words was not ideal but perhaps some of the doctor's advice was good.
Beth Wheeler 5 months ago
My Aunt got mad when I saw obese on her after visit summary a couple of years ago. Ummmmm Nancy you are obese, you complain about your pants being snug and eat a lot of junk food. She says herself that she has a sweet tooth, she likes those nasty little while powdered don't, came, cookies, pies.
Robert Beveridge 5 months ago
NARFLD is no joke, and I hope the letter wasn't too light about stressing that point. It took me losing literally half of me to get the liver under control.
Alex K 5 months ago
The correct word to be used in today's hyper-offended society is not "fat", it's "horizontally challenged".
GalPalAl 5 months ago
So nonpology, learnt and spilt are now being added to the dictionary. There was a time when Dan Quayle was ostracized for making up his own words, and no we are doing the same thing and nobody says a word.
UKDeek 5 months ago
It's fine, it's how language develops. So, in some small way we are developing the English language for future generations!
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#44
Being told I looked unprofessional for using sticky notes, while she would leave me mean notes written on sticky notes at my desk.
Child of the Stars 5 months ago
Sticky notes are one of the most versatile and useful tools for an office or school.
#45
Had an employee who was already on a final for attendance leave for lunch. 2 hours later he still wasn’t back. When it was addressed we asked where he went. He said he had to go to the bank to deposit money and the line was really long. Asked why he didn’t call when he knew he wasn’t going to be back within the 30 min allotted time or answer any of our calls and he said his phone was lost in his car and not charged. He was let go and still didn’t understand where he went wrong.
Not an employee but had a customer pissed off a drone was flying around. He said it violated his privacy. Marketing was taking aerial shots of the building. 🙄.
Papa 5 months ago
The first one, who couldn't understand why he got fired, reminds me of one of my wife's coworkers who similarly couldn't understand why she got fired. She had posted an ad in the local weekly newspaper, and listed her work phone as the contact number (this was before cell phones).
#46
I got told by my manager that I was too introvert after being hired. We worked from home….
Anthony Elmore 5 months ago
Been there. I work mostly isolated from the other members of my team, aside from emails that I send in submitting dimensional reports. Most of the other portion of the team is on the floor doing inspection work. Was offered the suggestion by my boss that I should come out to chat with the team more. He's not wrong that I could be more sociable, but this is the first time I've been told I spend too much time doing my job instead of talking.
Kim Steffen 5 months ago
I was dinged for not standing around talking with my coworkers instead of working.
#47
I was told that I was too detailed by my former boss, who owns a company that does inventory of stores for audits and such.
David Morgan 5 months ago
"Let's see...you got some of that, bit of this, couple of the other. Nice. Right, next client..."
#48
Employee complaining that their manager was constantly hassling them about how long he took to p*o. Went into detail about bowel issues, way too much information.
Another lazy team member complaining that they had to walk upstairs to use the bathroom. They wanted me take one of the two toilets downstairs and make it female only and expected 13 males to use the other single toilet. No dice sorry.
I worked with some whingers, glad I don't do it anymore lol.
Debby Keir 5 months ago
Depends how far away the toilet is - think of the film 'Hidden Figures' If there were 2 single toilets, why separate them by gender (or are the guys just too messy to share?)
WalterWhiteSavannah 5 months ago
I worked at Walmart as a teenager and had to clean the bathrooms... in my experience the men's bathroom is not the messier one. The women's bathroom was routinely beyond disgusting. I've heard the same from janitors at other jobs as we.
Load More Replies... Anthony Elmore 5 months ago
The first person probably did so out of spite. If I have to explain why it's taking that long, I'm going to make sure the person I have to justify it to is JUST as uncomfortable with me explaining it as I am. Second one isn't completely unreasonable. Depending on the layout of the building, walking to a separate floor every time you have to go could get old real fast. Plus I see the state male coworkers leave the bathroom on a regular basis. I get it.
Papa 5 months ago
I have seen multiple reports from people who clean bathrooms for a living say that women make a bigger mess than men do.
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#49
Not HR, but in my office there was a HUGE deal of who kept finishing the pot of coffee without starting a new one. Lemme tell you, some office workers had to go 4-5 minutes without coffee, which caused chaos.
Lost Panda 5 months ago
I mean their reaction might have been over the top, but it is common courtesy to start a new pot when you finish the shared pot. This was probably because it was the same person over and over again.
Kenneth Smith 5 months ago
Right, and all annoyances, no matter how petty, bring us a little closer to a breaking point. One would hope that this would take a while to boil over into outrage, but I can imagine this really upsetting me after awhile. It's not about waiting for coffee. It's about someone consistently deeming themselves unworthy of making it. The lack of common courtesy would be my issue.
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Child of the Stars 5 months ago
I know it's problematic because of the waste, but tbh, this is a big advantage to our Keurig at work.
#50
One coworker was always friendly and approchable. he got pulled by HR because a new employee said she felt he was trying hard to approach her.
Anthony Elmore 5 months ago
Extroverted coworker put off the new hire, who mistook his extrovert behavior for unwanted attention. I'm giving the guy the benefit of the doubt here, but it's just one of the hazards of being an extrovert. Not everyone wants to be extroverted.
Load More Replies... #51
A manager said she was sad I was always at my desk and then told my manager's manager that I was unmotivated. I have a desk job...
#52
I have food allergies and constantly have coworkers make complaints that I don't eat during the multiple, unnecessary shared lunches we have (even though this would make me so sick I'd have to miss 2 days of work and then they would complain about me missing work).
Michael Largey 5 months ago
"Ok, I'll eat that stuff. Just tell me in advance which of you I should vomit on."
#53
This just happened today. Our coffee station worker was hanging out by the grill at work. The manager from the maintenance dept. comes to order something and walked up wearing tennis shoes. She has the audacity to ask the grill cook to ask him why he’s not wearing steel toed boots. He asks. And the mngr responds with no I don’t have to wear steel toes boots. She then proceeds called HR to complain about him not wearing the boots and they told her he doesn’t have to. And if she makes another false complaint she will be written up for subordination. LOL.
#54
Coworker once said I was making them look bad to upper management because I was doing too much. In reality I was doing the bare minimum.
#55
This complaint is so dumb it requires A LOT of backstory otherwise it doesn’t make sense.
TLDR: I didn’t change the schedule that I’m not allowed to change.
I’m in a leadership position but I don’t make the schedule. Everyone’s shifts are determined by a different department to keep things fair. If someone wants a different shift than they are assigned; then they have to work that out with their teammates.
I was assigned to lead a huge blood drive (the biggest one our region sponsors). I had 15+ staff to manage on an out of town and approximately 300 units of blood to collect over the course of two days. I had to manage their vehicle assignments, break schedules, start times, donor flow, equipment set up, etc. However, everyone’s assignments were determined by a different department.
First day went great! Everyone was safe and we set the record for the most blood ever collected in this location. While the team went out to celebrate, I stayed late finishing my paperwork, preparing for the next day.
When I sent out the information for equipment set up in the morning, one of the team members (let’s call her A) responds with an angry drunk text.
A: Why are you kicking me off powers?! Did I do something wrong?
Me: I’m not taking you off apheresis. You just weren’t assigned to that by scheduling. The only reason B got to have the shift for two days is because she traded with someone.
A: But I told our boss I wanted powers for the whole trip!
Me: No one relayed that to me. I just double checked my emails and there is nothing indicating that you were supposed to have C’s shift. I’m sure that they were just trying to give you a break.
A: Our boss told me he’d fix it for me! You can’t just take it away from me!
Me: I’m not taking it away from you. It’s C’s shift. If he wants to trade with you, you can do apheresis tomorrow. But I’m not allowed to kick people off the shift they’re scheduled for. I don’t have that kind of power.
A proceded to complain about this situation to anyone who would listen for the next TWO MONTHS. She escalated the complaint to our supervisors and tried to say I was abusing my authority. Thankfully my supervisor shut it down immediately and pointed out that: I had no authority to alter the schedule; had no way of even knowing she wanted to trade shifts, and that she had no grounds for this ridiculous complaint.
Robert Beveridge 5 months ago
"donor flow" sounds dirty enough that I'm certain the third-party censor app will eventually get round to it
#56
I'd be here all day if I listed petty complaints from my coworker, so I'll just go with the latest. My coworker complained to the assistant manager that i was in the washroom when she wanted me to go have a smoke with her. I don't even smoke, and she was supposed to be helping a new client at the time.
#57
Not HR, but a friend who owned his own company told me about having to fire a guy for picking up a p********e in the marked company vehicle.
David Morgan 5 months ago (edited)
Well, you shouldn't pick up a periwinkle AT ALL, let alone in company vehicles...
#58
I had a new employee who had ongoing transportation issues who accused us of discrimination because we would not allow another clocked-in employee to use a company vehicle to drive him to and from work.
The location he worked was about two miles north of town. He literally complained that he might get attacked by a cougar if he walked. Then he admitted that he skipped out on paying his *taxi* fare one time when being dropped off at work.
K Barnes 5 months ago
I was at a friend's house as a teen when someone from school showed up uninvited. Weird but ok. A few minutes later the doorbell rang and a taxi driver was there asking for payment. This girl had taken a cab uninvited to my friend's house then said she was going in to get money. She told friend to just shut the door and ignore the driver, he would eventually just go away, she did this all the time. My friend's dad paid the poor man and suggested the uninvited girl go home, but she had no way to get home (no money for a cab/her parents weren't around). People are wild.
Robert Beveridge 5 months ago
How come I never got attacked by cougars during my working years? I had to buy them drinks like everyone else...
Child of the Stars 5 months ago
It was a legit concern in the small rural neighborhood where my parents used to live. Our city is backed up against a national forest on two sides of town, and it's not unheard of for cougars to occasionally come into the outlying areas for the livestock.
Load More Replies... #59
I was once told my personality isn't "corporate" enough. I have no idea what that means.
On another occasion, at another company, a manager told me the expression in my eyes was "too witchy". That's when I gave up trying to understand corporate culture.
David Morgan 5 months ago
They were telling you to rent 'Wall Street', then do everything Michael Douglas did in the film.
Michael Largey 5 months ago
OP should start stealing money from their coworkers. That's pure corporate.
GalPalAl 5 months ago
Have had many extremely unprofessional supervisors say inappropriate things to me during my employment with them. Working in a hostile busy work environment with hands off supervisor wrote in a review that the job was getting to me. Another was a supervisor demanding I see an on site (education) counselor because she thought I wasn't assertive. Also had a instructor (college) and same supervisor with counseling demand give me am armchair wannabe psychiatrist lecture about how they thought my "carefree and laid back personality" were a hindrance to me. Now that I am adult, I can see how so many people love to project their own insecurities and issues on others since they can't accept that about themselves. This is why I hate people, have trust issue and have become even more antisocial in my mature adult age.
#60
That I looked rude in my glasses.
#61
I burped. I said excuse me. It just slipped, y'know? Not like I'm going around soiling my drawers.
#62
Not HR, but I used to help my HR team in organizing a summer event for families. Nothing special, just a grill party for employees with some extra events for children. This was a large company of around 300 employees.
A week before the event, one guy rose apes**t hell because we chose the date when his daughter was on summer camp...
#63
Obligatory not HR. But I once lightly tossed the keys to a fellow employee. It’s something I often do, but this particular employee didn’t like me. Later on I was asked by my manager why I threw the keys at my coworker. Apparently my coworker told them that I got angry and huffed and chucked the keys at his chest. I was utterly flabbergasted that I was considered to be the one in the wrong. When asked the standard “what should you do next time to make sure this doesn’t happen again?” I didn’t know what to answer. I considered answering that maybe my coworker shouldn’t be such a puss-a*s b***h. Luckily my Team Lead stepped in and told me the right answer was “not to toss the keys next time”. After the meeting I busted up laughing. It became something of a running joke with my other coworkers whenever we tossed the keys to each other.
#64
Not in HR but when I was a waitress there was this married couple that found something new to complain about every time they came in. The one that got me was 'Your booths are too tall, you need to lower them for us.' Not only were these the same exact booths that they had sat in several dozen times previously without any issue, but also were permanently bolted to the wall, because, you know, they're booths...
Oerff On Tour 5 months ago (edited)
OP should tell them not to come back till they lost some weight. The booth's not getting smaller, they are getting bigger.
#65
LOL “my break started two minutes later than originally scheduled. I’m calling OSHA”.
Toasted Applesauce 5 months ago
Please. Last week my 5:00 break didn't start until 6:30 because we were busy
#66
Had a very, very bad employee years ago. He once went to HR and his union rep to complain that I had no right to tell him what to do. He further explained that as a black man you couldn’t expect him to listen to a woman. There were many, many amazing statements that came from him.
Stephanie Did It 5 months ago
I was interested in an internal job posting in a department that I felt more qualified for. A coworker in my office also applied. The next day he came to my desk to tell me he had gotten the position. I congratulated him and he said, "I knew it would be either you or me, so I played the race card." I had no idea how to respond to that.
geezeronthehill 5 months ago
Black man that don't listen to his momma? I've never met that guy.
#67
Not HR, but had someone submit a complaint about me. I was doing temp work at a heating/ac/plumbing company, answer the phones and stuff, but there was this one girl that just *hated* me, I guess I was too happy to be employed? Anyway, I go in one day and the owner pulls me into the office, I have to get a d**g test done because I'm too energetic, and I blow my nose "frequently". I am a morning person, and I have allergies. The results come back negative, the owner apologizes, and I quit on the spot.
#68
Just had a formal complaint from someone who said his supervisor was refusing to help him with his training and development.
Upon investigation, it's turned out he requested the training around 7 months ago. Its training in another department, which will help on the 2/3 occasions he's asked to help out in that area. Well.... we've been a little preoccupied these last 7 months... Sorry, buddy, that non-essential training which requires an external trainer to come on-site during a pandemic is not our priority.
We also gave a bonus to those who went above and beyond these past 7 months, aimed at the key workers who were in work throughout and the number of complaints from people who didn't qualify just made us wish we didn't bother.
#69
The manager hired the sister of a co-worker, which is against store policy of not hiring family. That was because the co-worker was a real b*********r to the manager.
So, sister comes in acting like she's above us all, and won't reply to greetings in the morning. Okay, so I stop greeting her in the morning.
One day, she starts loading a food warmer, that I had already put a few items into, and it didn't need to be that full, or else that could waste food.
So, I ask her if the manager told her to do that. No reply.
I ask her again, if the manager told her to do that. Nothing.
My next question was, "Do you speak English?"
"Yes!", She snapped.
So, I repeated; "Did the manager tell you to do that?"
"Yes!", She answered angrily.
The next day, the manager took me aside and asked if I had a problem with working with the sister. I said, no and went back to work while still not talking to the sister, since she didn't want to reply to me.
A few days later, I got written up for bad teamwork. Not being a team player.
Multa Nocte 5 months ago
Is the blanked out word "bullshitter"? I hate this stupid censorship guessing game.
Khavrinen 5 months ago
I think it's "brown noser"; would fit in more with the manager hiring her sister.
Load More Replies... #70
One time a girl went to HR because a guy scraped the snow and ice off her windshield after work. She said it made her feel uncomfortable lol.
#71
The one that made me facepalm…hard? So it’s late November and I jokingly tell a customer BOO. I don’t jump out and I don’t hide I just say BOO. Next day I’m told by my manager I can’t say boo. I reply you’re kidding me right? No. I said it’s October…ya know Halloween…so boo is appropriate. “Well you scared…and she thought you might have a gun.” I don’t regret looking at her like are you trying to look stupid? I told her again…Halloween besides when the hell have I brought a gun to work much less have a need to?
Papa 5 months ago
Hollywood has almost certainly lied to you, but not about that.
Load More Replies... #72
A coworker complained I write all my notes in lowercase, no capitals. .
#73
I have two.
Back in the day, I worked for a guy from Puerto Rico. His English was perfect, but his accent was deplorable.
In my review, he proceeded to sing my praises and tell me what a great job I was doing, and the only negative he could find was that he could not understand when I was joking. I tend to be a little on the sarcastic side.
Later on, maybe 5 years ago, I was told in a review that it would be nice to see me at more company social events. Note that these events are not paid, I have social anxiety, I don't drink, and I leave work an hour before everybody else.
I responded to the first complaint by telling him that if that's the worst he's got I can cope with it.
I chose not to respond to the second one.
GalPalAl 5 months ago
I am with you on the comment about social events and same about no drinking and social anxiety (introvert-hate crowds). Again like I mentioned in another reply, I often tell people to think of me as having asberger syndrome so they will leave me alone and not be able to use it against me if I am undiagnosed.
#74
I had a colleague go to our manager to say that when she didn't explain things clearly in the morning meeting, I asked her questions, and she didn't like being asked questions. The manager suggested that when she didn't explain clearly I should wait and ask him later. FFS. Or maybe just don't let incompetent people lead meetings.
Michael Largey 5 months ago (edited)
"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. - Albert Einstein
GalPalAl 5 months ago
Incompetent people are often put in a position where the person in charge doesn't have to deal with them. It has nothing to do with their ability and everything to do with not having to be in contact with such a person. The actual American dream where nobody gets fired and even cheaters and liars can get ahead and take over the country
#75
Not hr but my company has had some serious wtf moments:
Take down the pictures of ww2 airplanes because our German customers might take offence
Had a phantom p*o'er who wrote 'f**k you' on the wall in s**t and pooped in a newly installed toilet... it wasn't even plumbed in yet they just shat in a waterless toilet and left it for someone else to sort out.
Had a guy who got caught sleeping at work for the 3rd time. When the shift leader gave him a talking to, the guy complained to HR that we was being victimized. During the subsequent investigation it was found via CCTV that the worker was going to his car and shooting h****n. This was confirmed in a positive d**g test.
These are just the ones that jump out at me. Not what you would expect in a multi-billion dollar aerospace engineering company.
Multa Nocte 5 months ago
Sorry, but that's EXACTLY what I would expect in a multi-billion dollar aerospace engineering company.
Child of the Stars 5 months ago
I kind of understand the thinking on the planes. I have an older German friend (by which I mean he was born in West Germany in 1952, so just a few years after the war ended), and while he's not the type to complain to a business about their decor, he once mentioned that WWII movies and references make him uncomfortable. He was clear that he understood it was his own issues, but it stirred up feelings of guilt in him.
#76
Talking to an employee about underperformance and she complains because I wasn't telling her how great she is after every text she sent.
#77
I work as an intern in an office of 30 people. A couple days ago I received a complaint to my manager because an employee said "The intern complained that the company doesn't buy enough muffins for the employess". What actually happened was I walked to the table for a muffin, didn't see any, and said "Aww man I wish there were more muffins".
#78
I used to sit near the HR office and I got to overhear a lot of stupid conversations between the HR manager and staff. There was two complaints the day after the company hosted a tail gating party and reserved a bunch of seats at a famous baseball Park. Both complaints were from women, one had been drinking a ton of beers got angry at a chatty coworker left early and drove 45+ minutes home. The other complaint was from someone who brought in about 6 non employees to the event and was upset about being followed into the baseball park by a fellow employee on their way up to the group seats. HR was very patient but firm about the purpose of the event was to get to know and network with fellow employees and not bad mouth or insult them which both had done. I always wondered why the HR people never last more than 6 months part of it must have been the constant complaints and management not following the rules.
Tim Gibbs 5 months ago
I need an explanation because tailgating to me is driving too close to the vehicle in front of you?!
Stephanie Did It 5 months ago
A tailgating party is when people gather in the parking lot at a sporting event or other venue such as a football stadium, and share food & drinks from their vehicles; often the tailgates of pickup trucks are used as impromptu seats and picnic tables. Lawn chairs, ice chests, lots of beer and a party atmosphere.
Load More Replies... #79
We have a little staff office for us teachers. There’s ten of us. I’m in the toddler room, and there’s two preschool rooms. Keep in mind, this office seats six people. Three on one side and three on the other. At any given time there’s only four of us in there at a time. Toddler teachers are really never in there when the preschool teachers are. When I first started, I put some stuff at one of the areas. Not taking over or anything, but I would sit there and do work there. A couple of months later one of the preschool teachers comes in to get something while I’m in there. She tells me that she’s been meaning to tell me that’s her spot. I apologized and got the couple of items and moved. She got what she needed and left. I’ve never sat there again. It was very bizarre. .
#80
I have 2 stories for you.
i worked at a shop in central illinois for a year, or was it 2? anyhow, when i left, clint, who was in his mid-20's, came up to me and shook my hand, pretty much like everyone else did, but he had this to say to me, "yew kno, when aye first metcha i wuzn't shure whut to make a ya, but i got to admit yer as gud az eny white man i ever met." clint wasn't racist and he wasn't stupid, unlike some of the others. he was the absolute definition of ignorant, he simply had no experience outside of small town life, and i mean small, the population of the town was only 350 at the time. he didn't watch tv. wasn't interested in the news or what was going on in the world or even the next town over, not cars, or anything. he was the son of the town drunk and he married the prettiest girl in school because neither one had managed to pair up with anyone else. all he wanted to do was hunt, fish, work, and make sure he provided for his wife, in that order.
the other one i have is being told i was like switzerland, i could get along with anyone. i didn't realize it but i started right after two guys got in an actual donnybrook on the shop floor, busted lips, torn clothes, black eyes, the whole deal. i didn't know this and bounced back and forth between the two factions like nothing had happened because i didn't know that something *had* happened.
TMTMTMTM 5 months ago
"all he wanted to do was hunt, fish, work, and make sure he provided for his wife, in that order." I'd argue that his wife should come first, but otherwise, doesn't sound that bad.
Michael Largey 5 months ago
Maybe he thought he had to hunt, fish, and work first so he would be able to provide for his wife.
Load More Replies... Kenneth Smith 5 months ago (edited)
Having lived in dead central Illinois, this is 100% accurate. These eyes have seen things... They are the kind of things that don't go away when you close them, even decades later.
Lady Eowyn 5 months ago
Please use capital letters for proper names and at the beginning of a sentence.
#81
My mom (who works for the state) had to deal with an employee who was catching pigeons on work property then taking them home to bbq them.
Nuku Nyara 5 months ago
Eeewww a lot of wild pigeons have diseases that can contaminate the kitchen area and make you sick. 🤢🤢🤢
#82
Not in HR but used to manage people. Had an employee get upset about a Harambe meme another employee had in his cubicle. It was the “take a shot for Harambe, because he took one for you”.
Robert Beveridge 5 months ago
Now if it had been D***s Out for Harambe he might have had a point...
What do you think ?
LouLou Bella 5 months ago
In my current job we have a girl about 27 who weaponizies her religion and uses it go try get special treatment. We are in Ireland, Irish people curse, a lot its very common, this girl is not from here but has lived here for over ten years. She went to HR and tried to have cursing banned in the break room. I mean what the fudge ?? We also have a TV in there that has a music station on with no sound that shows the current videos in the charts. She also went to HR to get that changed because there were girls on the TV in bikinis and it was inappropriate !!
Alex Martin 5 months ago
Created a big dramatic scene because I threw out her yogurt and a cup of pudding while cleaning the work fridge. Both items had been in the fridge for months. The yogurt had expired 18 months prior. The cup had no visible dates. I figured an employee who had quit had brought them. She bitched to HR. I have hiring/firing authority and HR is only advisory. I was livid at her antics. She was one more passive aggressive comment away from unemployment.
Richienotsorich 4 months ago
Subscribe now to read a load more copy and paste posts about whiny employees...49 was more than enough, thank you.
Quinn Goforth 5 months ago
My first job ever, I used to work for big box pet store. Came in on my day off wearing a "colorful" shirt (black with f*****g fabulous in pink glitter). My next shift, I had stern warning from the assistant manager, saying someone might recognize me and be offended :)
David Morgan 5 months ago
If it actually had f'ing on it (rather than you adding it for exaggeration), then the AM was right. You might not have been on shift at the time, but you were in the building and there is a reasonable implication that you might have been there to start/finish a shift. Someone who knew you were an employee could be upset about that. If it just said fabulous, then that's your business and nobody else's.
Load More Replies... LouLou Bella 5 months ago
In my current job we have a girl about 27 who weaponizies her religion and uses it go try get special treatment. We are in Ireland, Irish people curse, a lot its very common, this girl is not from here but has lived here for over ten years. She went to HR and tried to have cursing banned in the break room. I mean what the fudge ?? We also have a TV in there that has a music station on with no sound that shows the current videos in the charts. She also went to HR to get that changed because there were girls on the TV in bikinis and it was inappropriate !!
Alex Martin 5 months ago
Created a big dramatic scene because I threw out her yogurt and a cup of pudding while cleaning the work fridge. Both items had been in the fridge for months. The yogurt had expired 18 months prior. The cup had no visible dates. I figured an employee who had quit had brought them. She bitched to HR. I have hiring/firing authority and HR is only advisory. I was livid at her antics. She was one more passive aggressive comment away from unemployment.
Richienotsorich 4 months ago
Subscribe now to read a load more copy and paste posts about whiny employees...49 was more than enough, thank you.
Quinn Goforth 5 months ago
My first job ever, I used to work for big box pet store. Came in on my day off wearing a "colorful" shirt (black with f*****g fabulous in pink glitter). My next shift, I had stern warning from the assistant manager, saying someone might recognize me and be offended :)
David Morgan 5 months ago
If it actually had f'ing on it (rather than you adding it for exaggeration), then the AM was right. You might not have been on shift at the time, but you were in the building and there is a reasonable implication that you might have been there to start/finish a shift. Someone who knew you were an employee could be upset about that. If it just said fabulous, then that's your business and nobody else's.
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