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From time to time problems arise in any workplace. Sometimes, it’s the colleague on your left, other times it’s the manager getting into trouble, and on some occasions, you’re the one to take the blame. And while we do really mess up and have to take responsibility for our actions here and there (no one was born a perfect employee!), some superiors do seem to really enjoy putting us down, for whatever crazy reasons.

Recently, labor activist Katie Harrington initiated a Twitter thread asking people “what’s the weirdest thing you ever got in trouble at work for?” She also shared how she was “accused of being disrespectful because the six people I CCd on an email weren’t listed in order of seniority.”

Read on for some of the most facepalm-worthy responses down below! They will make you wonder what on earth is going on in employers’ heads, and how we all deserve a medal for putting up with it and showing up with a smile 5 days a week.

#1

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

PattyDahlgren Report

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Jayne Kyra
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

R@pe. The censored word is r@pe. I get blurring out cuss words, BP, but this is taking it too far!

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#3

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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alex mitchell
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A girl I worked with got me pulled up to HR because I liked to say indubitably. She said I used big words, which made her feel dumb. When asked for an example, she tried to say indubitably, but couldn't.

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While making mistakes is only human and your workplace is not an exception, depending on what kind of mistake it is, your employment status can be jeopardized by a single slip. Moreover, if you're a new employee, the company isn't convinced yet that you're indispensable. In that case, building your name all the way from that first good impression to the top is another job to do, but there are some simple things that you can do that may indeed get you into trouble.

If you tend to pat yourself and not others on the back at work, you’re communicating that you don’t care about the success or contributions of others on the team. Of course, self-gratitude and self-motivation are important, but you should also express your appreciation to your boss and fellow employees to show that you care for them.

#5

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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NsG
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Was this at a McJob? I would love to know ex-boss's justification for denying the leave otherwise.

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Wearing your heart on your sleeve, aka too much honesty, should be better left at home. If you’re often vocally stressed or you openly display negative emotions, they will hurt your reputation and will probably have an impact on your team. No employer would be willing to put up with an overly negative attitude.

Those who avoid expressing their views and opinions at all costs may also get into trouble. While it may feel peaceful to you, your manager may get the impression that you’re coasting. If you’re really afraid of getting pushed back, remember that the reason why you were selected for your workplace in this extremely competitive market is because you were promising of your great work contributions, more than other competitors for the position. It’s only fair that they also want to see you in action and not just backing into your safety zone.

#7

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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Marcellus II
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It has been brought to our attention you are absent from work only during work hours... very very sus.

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#8

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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WilvanderHeijden
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She should have reported the creeps to the police for child prostitution. After she phoned her father to tell him that her boss was a pimp. First to get at that place gets to call the shots.

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#9

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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Rench
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had a boss that didn't want to give me the night off on the day that my first child was born. He didn't fire me but he grumbled a lot.

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Steve Wilson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Any time somebody tells you something like that they are confirming that they consider you insignificant. If you’ve worked there more than a week quit immediately. You’re not going anywhere on that job.

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J Robertson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a hairstylist I had this girl come in. I'd cut her hair a few times. She smarts of about how she had to have someone else cut her hair the last time because I "was on vacation. Again!" I was standing in front of her. Asked when that was. She said the dates. I looked her sea in the eye and said, "I was at my brothers funeral." Which is 100% true. Never saw her again. The audacity of some people.

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KatHat
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is definitely the sort of case where the assholes ruin it for everyone else. I worked with a woman who in less than a year needed 4 days leave for EACH of her two grandmothers' funerals and her husband's grandparent's funeral (4 days because they were out of state). It's POSSIBLE they lost all those family members in a short time but not likely.

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Yoga Kitty
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here in Germany you usually have to show the death certificate if you want to apply for special days off (= in addition to your usual holidays, only for first degree relatives), in order not to have the poor grandmother die seven times per year...

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ERIKA H.
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At an old job i was written up for taking too many days off for my grandfather's funeral, despite the days already being approved. I was then asked to provide proof of his death. I quit immediately.

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Ash-Lynn Sarah
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I called in to work because my Grandpa was actively dying in the hospital and we needed to go say goodbye, and my boss said "Do you know how much of an inconvenience this is for me?"

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Logic and Reason
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This happened in Ireland, btw. Weird that so many Europeans seem to hold an America centric worldview only for the sake of insulting it.

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BluEyedSeoulite
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My uncle's heart stopped and he was declared DOA at the local hospital, where my sister was also working. She asked to take the rest of the day off. Her department manager said no with his body still on the gurney in the ER. She pointed that out, said some choice words, quit on the spot.

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Anapv
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Portugal (EU) we don't have any day off for a cousin or aunt/uncle's funeral. But you have some days off for the in-laws, I think this is very strange. When my uncle died I didn't have a day off to attend the funeral, so I had an unpaid and unjustified missed day.

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Jean Peterson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I took a couple personal days off for my very loved cousin's funeral when he passed by suicide. I was then written up for taking bereavement pay, which i didn't, i took my own pto. And told by my dm that it wasn't appropriate because it was only a cousin, not immediate family. Yeah this is the company who stopped their lingerie fashion shows

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Michał Wójtowicz
Community Member
2 years ago

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Erik Ivan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Another example why unions can be a good thing. Because they can and will rip a new hole in the bosses bottom.

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Cass Malone
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I asked for my man's grandmother's funeral off. It happened to be on New Year's day. Was told "who dies and gets buried 2 days later?" And "Well it's not your grandma why do you have to go?" Needless to say I quit New years Day and went to the funeral after working my overnight shift.

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#10

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"So where are you located?" "I'm sorry, I can't reveal that information to customers because that's classified information that they could use to rob us."

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#11

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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Bobby
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My CO from the Navy would have died laughing, the chief of the boat however would have killed me

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#16

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nothing more satisfying than to be able to humiliate your boss in public. "Yes, I found the solution my bossed claimed, by not looking at the symptoms, but by looking for the cause."

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#17

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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snipergun
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Even better if it confuses clients, they might take you seriously.

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#21

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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MagicalUnicorn
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

hope you learned :D to be hones at my first job i learned very fast that working efficiently for higher ups means 'more time to do other people's job'

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#22

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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Marcellus II
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only severed heads can be weighed accurately. There's not just loss of fluids, but also some of the weight gets carried by the shoulders etc so measurement is incorrect. Or so I'm told.

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#23

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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Pheebs
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love when people are baffled by others do math in their head. Had a teacher just stare at me once when I gave him an answer to fraction subtraction. Wasn’t even a math class, it was photography. He was showing us how to cut print mats, and asked someone what the difference was between two measurements. Not sure why he was so surprised.

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#24

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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Jayne Kyra
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For those as confused as I was: "They are the exact same. Clip, but apparently if you put the larger loop to the back and the smaller loop to the front it gives more support and is the correct way to do it."

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#25

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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KJ
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We had a new start that got a complaint made about him by an older co-worker. They were being trained and following one of my crib sheets, crib sheet said click "return" (easier for non computer using older guy to follow), new start pressed enter instead. Big drama and lots of explaining that they did the same thing.

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#26

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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WilvanderHeijden
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Been watching video's from US expats working in Europe who are all flabbergasted that people pack up and go home at the end of the day and there's no boss getting furious about it.

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#27

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Your highness and most esteemed employer, to my indescribable sorrow I am compelled to inform you that it is impossible for me to visit your temple of underpaid labor because of a temporary weakness in my mental health. I will do my best to overcome this barrier in my productivity as quickly as possible in order to be able to serve you optimally again as soon as possible.

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#28

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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Marcellus II
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

On Monday, half the employees shuffle in like zombies, so I'm not sure why the receptionist could be surprised.

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#30

Employees-Trouble-Work-Weirdest-Reasons

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Katinka Min
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, actually, with the accent it's pretty racist. So a brief talk about this is not a bad idea.

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