Most days at work are business as usual—but every once in a while, something WILD happens, and it blows the monotony out of the water. If the situation is memorable enough, it even has the potential to become a company-wide legend that is discussed at the water cooler for years to come. Here are some of the wildest workplace stories ever:
1. Official Resignation
I was employed at a childcare center for a brief period of three weeks. I loved interacting with the kids and genuinely enjoyed the work, but my boss was just too much to handle. She had a knack for creating stress. For instance, she'd send me out for coffee during my lunch break, only to reprimand me for returning late.
Also, right when I was about to end my shift, she'd load me with tasks and keep me behind without any overtime pay. I believe that's not within the law. What's more, she'd even threaten to fire me for not showing up on a day off that she had approved in advance. Eventually, I hit my limit.
One day, I calmly told her, "Once I am out on my lunch break, I'm not returning. I am clocking out for good". She insisted that if I were to quit, it needed to be in writing. That's when I snapped.
I grabbed a large Crayola marker from the kids' art supplies and a piece of construction paper, scribbled "I QUIT" on it, signed my name, and tossed it at her.
2. Overwhelming Toxicity
I used to visit a specific Brazilian family every week. The man and woman in this household had a very rocky relationship. He was unfaithful, and he often physically abused his wife. Whenever she would try to voice her concerns or stand up for herself, he would threaten to throw her out on the streets.
She was an immigrant without papers, while he was a citizen recognized by law. Thus, if thrown out, she and her children would have ended up homeless, or in an even worse situation.
The social worker and I had been clandestinely working with her for quite some time, attempting to get law enforcement involved. Then, during a therapy session with their baby, the father revealed a recently purchased revolver to me.
He remarked, quite chillingly, that he had obtained it to "handle anyone who interfered with his family". My heart sank because they quickly removed me from the home, but the baby was left behind. The uncertainty about what happened to the family still haunts me.
What was even more disheartening was the dismissive attitude of our Brazilian interpreter. He casually commented, "Oh, that's just the way Brazilian marriages operate". This comment deeply saddened me.
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3. Get A Room—And A Cab!
One night, while working at a restaurant, a seemingly well-off but crass middle-aged couple sat at the bar area for hours, heavily drinking and often displaying too much public affection. Despite them being clearly inebriated, the poorly-judged waiter continued to serve them more drinks, which was a significant breach of our rules.
Our boss was preoccupied with computer issues at the time and was unaware of the situation, so I informed her. The scene they created was unpleasant to watch. The woman was disorderly, clinging onto the man, who was staggering back and forth into a window, getting himself caught up in the blinds.
When they tried to sneak out without settling their bill, my boss intervened. She had them sit outside on a bench while she arranged for a taxi. Though the man stubbornly claimed that he was fit to drive, it was clear that he was not. My boss explained to them that ensuring their safe departure was part of her responsibility.
After some argument, they came around, grudgingly accepting the need for the taxi. My boss also made sure they paid for their drinks before leaving.
4. Break Away
We just got a new supervisor who, inexplicably, despised the bonds we had formed. She accused me of shaving time off the company and produced a video of me taking supposedly unauthorized breaks. She pulled me into the HR department and scorned me for these breaks.
Over time, she started reducing my hours, yet still scheduled me long enough that I needed to take a half-hour break. The HR representative attempted to correct her multiple times, asserting that I was legally allowed my breaks. However, my boss refused to listen—and her response was outrageous.
She claimed she had evidence of me sneaking off, but never revealed it to me. Because of this, the next time I was expected to work, I clocked in, waited half an hour, and clocked out silently. Surprisingly, I never got a call about my unannounced absence. A week later, an ex-coworker and I visited the store—they had also quit the day before—and they circumstantially threatened to contact security.
5. Took It To The Top Brass
A while back, I was hired to work for a company I'd rather not mention. The boss would often strong-arm me into performing tasks that weren't part of my duties. She'd usually approach me saying, "Do you enjoy your job here?" since I was one of a few men at work.
During one of these incidents, my supervisor popped by and found me doing a task I had been unfairly pressed into. I told him about the situation, following which he had a discussion with this boss. Nevertheless, the harassment persisted, and she even concocted a story to have me dismissed. Fast-forward a few months.
Without her knowledge, I had been recording every breach of policy committed by her and her team. I decided to email this information to the company's head office, not really expecting a response due to the size of the company. To my surprise, a few weeks later, I received an email reply.
Another month passed, and they emailed me again, stating they had verified all of my claims. They thanked me for bringing this to their attention. As a result, the boss was demoted and transferred to another branch, and her two assistants were let go.
6. The Sixty-Million Dollar Man
I once had a job handling credit card transactions for a company. One day, a business phoned in, unable to finalize their credit card batch, an issue that popped up quite frequently due to unstable internet. Looking into it, I found a transaction error: a card was charged $10, but there was a ridiculous $60 million tip attached.
Clearly a mistake, the transaction didn't go through, yet it was listed as 'pending' in the customer’s bank account for three days.
7. Not Under My Watch
Throughout high school, I was a devoted employee at Regal Cinemas. When a leadership role came about, I was keen to apply given the increased pay. Unfortunately, due to my upcoming college attendance limiting availability, I didn't bag the position. The chosen individual, however, seemed incapable of handling the job proficiently.
About a month later, I found myself running our theater cleaning unit. We were on duty for 22 theaters during a frenetic weekend. I assumed that my team would stick to the cleaning schedule. I decided to assist one squad because we had a bunch of popular children's films concluding simultaneously—they always had the messiest theaters.
After tackling the children's theaters, I discovered a major issue—a men's restroom was inundated. As the only individual above 18, I had to take on the unpleasant job. Clad in rubber gloves, armed with a plunger and mop, I dealt with the obstinate, overflowing restroom. Imagine my surprise when, post-cleanup, I ran into the woman hired as manager instead of me.
She unleashed fury due to the other cleaning team's negligence, which meant there were uncleaned theaters. She blamed me for not monitoring the team and gave me a write-up for "insubordination" when I offered a reasonable explanation. I later found the absent cleaners near the trash compactor, utterly out of their minds.
I didn't mince words expressing my disappointment. After this, I finished my shift, reported the incident to the top manager, and put in my two weeks' notice. He tried to persuade me to stay, emphasizing my significance in the team and the respect I'd earned from management.
Nonetheless, I left, moving towards a more serious career path. Meanwhile, the manager who reprimanded me continues to work there years later.
8. Success Is The Best Revenge
I left my last job due to an intolerable boss. Fast forward a year, and the tiny business venture they had mocked was doing well. One day, after wrapping up a job, I bumped into my former boss at McDonald's.
With a smirk, he asked, "So are you ready to come begging for your old job back?" I was prepared with a delightful comeback. Looking him in the eyes, I dropped the hammer: "Well, I just earned more in three hours than what you used to pay me for a full workweek. What do you reckon?"
9. She Was A Wild Card
I used to work at a Hallmark shop, where it seemed the only customers were over 55. The priciest items we had were Christmas ornaments.
One day, amidst a heated discussion with a woman around her 80s about a discount voucher, she suddenly complimented me, saying I had "a remarkably radiant complexion". Caught off guard, I could only muster a "Thank you," before she resumed arguing.
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10. Going In Blind
During high school, I needed a summer job so I decided to apply at our neighborhood grocery store. My duties were to bag items, clean the store, and stock shelves. On my debut day, there was a lot of confusion about my assigned tasks and the person I was supposed to report to.
They directed me to the customer service desk where the manager handed me a cash tray and asked me to manage a cash register. Now, remember, I hadn't received any training about handling a cash register. I didn't even know how to install the cash tray!
I shared my concern with the manager, but she told me to just get on with my work. Within a span of two minutes, a long queue of customers had already formed at my register. I was just standing there, clueless, with the cash tray in hand. Seeing this, the customer service manager came over and demanded to know why the line was moving so slowly.
I tried to explain again that my role was supposed to be stocking shelves and I hadn't been trained to operate a cash register. Instead of understanding, she insulted me in front of the customers. At this point, I'd had enough, so I handed the cash tray back to her and told her exactly what I thought of her behavior.
I then walked out in my uniform and managed to secure a job at a different grocery store down the street.
11. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
I used to work as an industry lobbyist. While in a legislative meeting, I discovered a regulation alteration that would influence our business. To my surprise, the next day, I was fired. As it turns out, the Association leader differed with my work style and somehow convinced the Board to let me go, albeit with a slim margin in vote.
Half a year later, I found out that the President's own business had lost a whopping $12 million, all because they didn't anticipate this regulatory change. When questioned about why I hadn't informed them, my response was simple: they had fired me, so they were technically no longer my responsibility.
In the end, the President's business filed for bankruptcy.
12. We Got Boxed Into A Corner
During my time at an electronics shop, my colleague and I made a stupid mistake—we left a table filled with empty electronics boxes outside on the pavement.
That evening, the local officials picked them up, thinking they were doing us a favor as they didn't know the boxes were empty. To retrieve all the display boxes the following day, we had to pay a fine.
13. $40 000th of July
I hired an attorney to prepare a harassment lawsuit after my new boss demanded I work on the Fourth of July. Typically, there are 100-150 people in our office, but I was alone that day.
This was the last incident following six months of harassment. Eventually, I won a settlement of $40,000. Even now, thinking about it makes me smile.
14. You Messed With The Wrong Guy
They revoked my employment at a senior living facility after four years, mistaking me for someone else, who hadn't attended to a resident appropriately during a shift I covered for them. I tried hard to contest it, but they remained unmoved. However, they were in the dark about something crucial.
I kept a detailed record of every single instance of improper behavior and neglect by the nursing assistants and board. I immediately reported all the information to the state authorities and any advocacy group willing to listen. They did—and within a month, the entire team resigned or was dismissed.
They messed with the wrong guy.
15. She Threw In The Towel
One evening, just before we locked up, this lady with a Pomeranian strolled into our café. We were just about to head to the door when she rushed past us and bolted straight for the bathroom. She snatched the restroom key and darted inside. We couldn't lock the doors or begin our closing routine until she left.
In the meantime, we had the trouble of dealing with customers trying to get in for a quick coffee, refusing to believe we're closed because the door's still unlocked. We waited for fifteen minutes, then my boss cautiously went to tap on the bathroom door. All of a sudden, we hear the Pomeranian yapping away.
My boss was taken by surprise—he wasn't even aware of the dog until then. He was perplexed. Thirty minutes after our usual closing time, she swung the door open and hurried out of the café. I went to check out the ladies room only to see a flooded toilet stuffed with paper towels. But that wasn't the worst part.
Blood was splattered all around. We quickly checked around for any needles, but there were none. The floor was suspiciously damp, and the entire restroom reeked of something foul. After managing to unclog the toilet, we determined the dog probably had a fright when we knocked, causing it to have a bloody mess on our floor.
Since then, we've started keeping our bathroom keys out of sight five minutes before closing time.
16. Respect Goes Both Ways
Right after high school, I landed a part-time job at a local gift store. I'd already built a three-year rapport with the owner from a previous place where we worked together. With almost a year at the new location, I felt pretty comfortable.
However, things took a turn in no time flat—and it began when the owner decided to hire a fresh manager for the new store. The new manager wasn't popular among us. Despite our years of experience and extensive knowledge about inventory and operations, she demeaned us due to our age.
She was in her 50s, we were teens, and she failed to respect our contribution. One day, I had a late-night shift scheduled. But I was severely unwell. Being part-time staff, the rules allowed me to report sick up to two hours before my shift, without any repercussions.
So, I did just that. The new manager took my call and casually mentioned that I wasn't scheduled for any upcoming shifts. To this, I responded in a way that left her stunned. I told her, "No worries, don't bother scheduling me a shift. I'll drop off my keys tomorrow when I'm feeling better. I quit".
Her should-be-subtle demeanor combined with constant patronising had finally pushed me over the edge. The silver lining? Four years later, I'm still on good terms with the owner. So, all's well that ends well.
17. Going Postal
My buddy was once let go from his job because the boss's clueless son decided to reset the family business for the 30th time. He received no severance pay, no compensation for his unused sick days, nor any leftover vacation time. Before leaving, he chose to run one final letter through their old postage meter.
He stamped a sum of over $10,000 on that letter and strolled out with it in his box. That letter is now framed as a keepsake. Over the following couple of years, the boss's son ended up misappropriating several hundred thousand dollars. The office building was eventually converted into a pretty nice parking lot.
18. He Caused A Major Brewhaha
I used to work at The Beverage Store in a city in Ontario. One unforgettable day, a guy accidentally drove his car right into our store's wall.
Even with half his car protruding into our entrance, he calmly exited and queued to purchase a beverage. The whole scene left everyone who witnessed it completely stunned.
19. Forced Presence
I used to work in a group home, which was quite a challenge. Our residents, all between 14 and 22 years old, had various mental health disorders ranging from severe ADHD to schizophrenia. What added an extra layer of complexity was that they each had a history of violent behavior.
My usual shift was the overnight one, running from 10:30 p.m. to 9 a.m. four days a week. About half a year into the job, the company decided to make drastic cutbacks. We were left with the absolute minimum number of staff required for our resident to staff ratio.
This meant if someone couldn't make their shift, someone else was forced to cover. Alarmingly, this started happening to me on three out of my four weekly shifts. Instead of my regular working hours, I was often working excessively long shifts, from 10:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. the next day.
The group home was an hour's drive from my house, so after finishing a 16-hour shift, I would arrive home by 5:30 p.m. However, I only had a four-hour window before I had to start the process all over again. I endured this grueling schedule for a month, then one morning, they sprung an additional shift on me last minute.
I had reached breaking point, and I quit then and there. That stressful month had a severe impact on my mental health and it took me almost a year to bounce back.
20. Cheaters Never Win
I used to be employed at a governmental department where it was an open secret that a colleague was having an affair with another coworker in the same division. This man was notorious for his unpleasant and nitpicky management style.
One day, he reprimanded me for having a chat with a colleague during break time. That incident triggered something in me—it motivated me to inform his wife about his wrongful behaviors. I rang up her workplace and left a message detailing the times and dates he had spent with the other woman.
Shortly after that, she decided to part ways with him. I harbor no remorse over my actions. His wife and children stated they were better off without him—those were their sentiments, not mine.
21. Keep On Truckin’
At my previous job, we had a rule where every item in stock was allocated a unique code. This code was a specific combination of two letters followed by a sequence of four numbers. One day, my colleague was reshelving some returned items and accidently entered the wrong letter for an item.
His intention was to restock a $12 item, but the incorrect letter correlated to a truck worth $5 million instead. This minor mistake landed up showing the mega expensive truck as part of our warehouse stock. The company only allowed stock adjustments up to $500, and any adjustments surpassing $300 required reporting.
More expensive items were handled by the front office staff. As you can imagine, there was quite a commotion when people noticed an extra $5 million showing in the stock without a valid reason. Despite the panic, it gave us a hearty chuckle in the end.
22. How Thoughtful
While my dad was going through brain surgery, I was juggling my work responsibilities from the hospital. However, my boss dropped a project on me one Thursday afternoon with a deadline set for the following Monday morning, a task that typically takes a week or more.
I pulled consecutive 16-hour days to finish it. When we met on Monday, she inquired about my weekend, to which I replied, "I spent it working". She then asked if I had seen my dad in the hospital, and I had to tell her, "No, I didn't have the opportunity since I was working the whole time".
A few weeks later, she seemed to express worry, saying, "It feels like you're upset because you had to work. I was sympathetic while your dad was sick, maybe you're just fatigued. Are you tired?"
Additionally, when I left the office at the end of work hours, she'd subtly mock me saying, "Oh, it's great that you just get up and leave when your day is over. I have to leave because of my daughter, but you, without any children, just call it a day". I'd respond, "Yes, I don't live here. I have a life outside of work".
While I take pride in my work and put in my 100% during work hours, I believe in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Our work, though important, isn't solving world crises. It's important only within these four walls. Anyway, I no longer work there.
23. Ghost In The Machine?
Despite explaining to my boss how to safeguard our company's social media accounts from potential hacking after a password change, I can still access them.
Occasionally, I stir things up by making posts that look unintentionally shared, tinkering with their links, or creating doomed ads that don't gain any attention but still consume their marketing funds. It's surprising that after several months, they still haven't sorted this out.
24. Looks Can Be Deceiving
My first work experience in a restaurant was washing dishes, which also included cleaning the restrooms. One day, a gentleman performed magic tricks for the waiting staff and some children while he ate. It was a pleasant experience that the customers really enjoyed.
But twenty minutes later, I had to investigate why the men's restroom door was stuck—and I found something completely unexpected. When I finally managed to push the door open, I discovered the man from earlier lying on the floor, bloodied as though he had bumped his head on the sink, with a pool of liquid next to him.
We immediately called for medical help and the hospital reported strange cuts on his head that didn't match a usual bump. My task then was to rummage through the garbage can, where I discovered a broken tape dispenser—only the sharp section was intact.
It turns out, the man had staged a slip by pouring water on the floor, used the sharp dispenser part to cut his head, and then lay there hoping to claim a cash payout from a supposed accident.
25. Tight Schedule
When I was 20 years old and engaged, my job managing a bookstore was so demanding that I couldn't take any time off. I even missed my fiancée's prom and other significant occasions. I requested time off during Christmas but was declined, and on top of that, I was informed I'd lose my unused vacation days by next year.
The breaking point came when my boss carried out an unexpected store audit on a Saturday evening after I had left for home. He was displeased with my calendar display, and his response was downright detestable.
Instead of waiting to confront me at work, he stormed into my house, bypassed my roommates, and invaded my private bedroom where I was simply reading in bed. Without ceasing, he chastised me about the display for five minutes before leaving, declaring he will meet me the next morning to correct it together.
That was the last straw for me. How my boss crossed the line to enter my personal space after-hours to reprimand me over a store display was unacceptable. I arranged a trip to visit my fiancée, and before boarding the train the next day, I met him at the store, handed over the keys, and abandoned the mess for him to sort out, just days before Christmas.
That decision felt liberating. I enjoyed a relaxed week with my fiancée and found a new job within a few weeks. But the unexpected upside was that the following year, the store allowed me to work part-time training new managers.
Strangely enough, my former boss made amends and we became friends, maintaining our friendship for many years.
26. Not The Brightest Decision
I unexpectedly lost my job in Internet Marketing, despite the fact that I was making good profit for the company. However, within a week, I found a new job. The majority of my clients, about two-thirds, chose to follow me to my new company.
This decision cost my former company about six times my salary in gross billing revenue. All of those clients that moved over are still with me today.
27. Technical Problem
In a meeting, a particularly abrasive marketing colleague lost his cool at me. He was practically asking our technical team to achieve the impossible with scarce resources and in a far too short timeframe. Right in front of eight of our colleagues, he started yelling, calling me incompetent and demanding I "just do my job".
I couldn't take it any longer, I stood up and disagreed with the way he was treating me before walking out of the meeting. Usually, leaving a meeting in such a manner would cost you your job. After news of the incident reached my boss, he arranged a meeting with me later that day.
I was almost certain they'd let me go, but instead, they fired the marketing guy. I was on the verge of quitting, but the company decided to let go of him instead. Since then, things have improved significantly and I'm quite pleased with my work environment here.
28. Never Underestimate Someone
I used to work at an auto repair shop and in my spare time, I would also do some car trading. I had an old Dodge Caravan that I was trying to sell, but I hadn't received any interest in it for nearly a year.
During this time, there was a homeless man who regularly came past the shop, pushing his cart and collecting any pop cans or scrap metal we might have. One of these days, he stopped by as usual and inquired if he could purchase my van. I responded in jest, saying, "Absolutely, give me $1,500 and the keys are yours".
I didn't think much of it after he left, honestly believing that him affording a van was pretty unbelievable, considering his situation. However, he ended up blowing my mind. To my amazement, he returned just an hour later, handing me $1,500 in a motley collection of crumpled bills.
I prepared a bill of sale, handed him the keys, and he drove off in the van, which still lacked plates.
29. Clock’s Ticking
The day after I departed from my job, I began receiving calls from the office about assorted matters. I agreed to answer their queries, and I shot off an email to both the corporate office and regional management. I informed them that I'd be pleased to provide assistance, but I'd charge them $150 per hour, with a four-hour minimum.
Moreover, my fee would begin the moment I picked up a phone call or opened an email from them. The subsequent day, I fielded a call and offered the help they needed before sending an electronic invoice to the corporate office. They rang me up arguing that the call only lasted ten minutes and were prepared to give me twenty bucks.
I guided them to the email I previously sent, asserting that if the entire sum of $600 wasn't settled within thirty days, I would notify the credit-reporting agencies and initiate proceedings to enforce my rights. Surprisingly, a cheque showed up on my doorstep just three days later, delivered by FedEx complete with next-day delivery and signature required.
More surprisingly, I haven't had a single call or email from any office members since then. I really can't figure out why…haha.
30. Lucky Mistake!
A while back, I was in charge of the lottery machine at a local 7-Eleven. I had this routine customer, who was quite superstitious. One day, as I was entering his usual numbers, I made a mistake and recorded "3333" 10 times for $1 each.
Because he didn't like his lottery slips to be torn up due to his superstitions, he decided to purchase the error tickets I made. Would you believe it? The number "3333" was selected that evening and he won a large sum, enough to pay off his entire house!
31. Cut Off Time
I'm a bartender who was stuck working at a lousy Mexican restaurant downtown. Because the food was subpar, we hardly had any customers, which meant low tips. So, living in New York City on less than $400 a week was quite a challenge when I was accustomed to making twice as much. Needless to say, after two months of this, I was feeling extremely frustrated.
Around this time, my mom fell ill with a severe case of pneumonia which, unfortunately, resulted in heart complications. She had to undergo a risky open-heart surgery to fix a valve, especially considering she was nearing 65. Knowing her surgery dates, I approached my manager to explain the situation and requested four days off to be with my family.
Now, our workplace had a high staff attrition rate due to low pay and incompetent management. Every employee barely lasted a month. However, she said my leave was fine. To be sure, I even sent her emails and texts for the records. I thought everything was settled. But I was mistaken.
Three days prior to my mom's surgery, when the week's work schedule came out, I was shocked to see my name listed for the entire week. I confronted my manager, explaining that I would not sacrifice time with my sick mom to work behind our rotten, vermin-infested bar in the West Village.
Astonishingly, she had the audacity to claim that I never asked for leave! When I provided her with my documented proof, she disregarded it saying it wouldn't make a difference whether I was present for the surgery or not. She then went on a rant about me being a team player and disrupting things with my leave request.
I was seething but chose to remain silent and returned to work. That same day at 5 PM, right before our happy hour and rush starting at 8 PM, I was alone behind the bar. At 8:30 PM, the bar was teeming with customers, coupled with a pile of server drink tickets.
Instead of lending a hand, my manager had the nerve to tell me to leave my personal issues at home. Aghast at her insensitivity, I laughed at her ludicrousness, walked out, and went straight to my mom.
32. Just Following Orders
I used to have a job at a radio station in a small town of 30,000, where I was responsible for selling advertising slots. When I first got there, a retired Army Major was making occasional sales of $6,000. After some time, I managed to increase that value to over $8,000.
A few months into my tenure though, I was let go unexpectedly and replaced by an inexperienced 22-year-old woman. My sales manager, who also happened to be the station owner's wife, instructed me to clear out my work area of any personal effects.
However, I made a huge error—I took that quite literally and discarded everything, including the sales invoices for the current month. She made it clear to me that I wasn't going to be paid my commissions. So, I calmly collected my salary check (which was $1,500 at the time) from my desk, went to the bank and cashed it out.
Later, a panicked call came in, just as I had anticipated. They couldn't find the sales invoices for August. Well, I replied as honestly as I could—I informed them that all of August's documents were in the trash because I had cleaned out my desk as instructed before proceeding to hang up.
From what I heard afterward, the woman they hired didn't quite live up to expectations, and the radio station ended up going bankrupt. That's a bit unfortunate, isn't it?
33. What Are The Odds?
Back when I worked as a waiter, we had a rule—hold onto all credit card receipts until the end of the shift. Then, we'd input tips into the computer, taking into account things like how much the meal cost, who the credit card issuer was, the last four digits of the card, when the meal happened, and even the table and seat number.
One time, I found myself in an unusual pickle. Two diners at the same table used separate Visa cards to split their bill, resulting in identical table and seat numbers on their receipts. They both decided to pay up at the same time, settling for the same amount.
Even their cards' last four digits! Oddly enough, their tip amounts were different, leaving me with a real brain teaser—I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out who left which tip. What a strange coincidence!
34. Get Your Storey Straight
I used to slog it out at a pretty taxing retail job in a department store for $7 an hour. My area of responsibility was the humdrum section selling bed covers, bathroom articles and other day-to-day necessities. One fine afternoon, some higher-ups from headquarters showed up to grade our work.
Their verdict? To reshuffle everything in the department—including the display furniture—all in one go, expecting it to spark off a sales frenzy. The deputy store manager took charge. She instructed the team from the stock department to lug all the merchandise into the back room so we could jump-start the rearrangement.
Meanwhile, I was stuck at the cash register, unable to do my regular clean-up since everything was upside down. Then, she asked me to haul everything that was just moved to the back room, back onto the shop floor. Mind you, the items were bathroom linens that had just been moved off the floor some 20 minutes earlier.
I obediently got to work. One of the stockroom employees returned and, scratching his head, asked me why I was doing what I was doing. I explained that I was just following the manager's instructions. Off he went to confront her. She returns, berates me for not toeing the line.
I reminded her that she had directed me to do so in clear and certain terms. Probably realizing her mistake, she seemed flustered. But here's the shocker: she advised me to sort out the issue with the stockroom guy. At this point, I decided the job just wasn't worth the trouble.
I told her that as a store manager, it's her duty to assign tasks efficiently, and she should be the one resolving this confusion. With that, I walked out. Maybe not my proudest moment, but you know what? I don't regret it one bit.
35. Justice Was Served
A smart, skilled, and meticulous lawyer I know experienced terrible treatment from a lead litigation partner at a well-established business in Austin, despite the partner having no trial experience. This young lawyer was ruthlessly criticized every day by the litigating partner.
After about a month, he was let go for identifying issues in the court papers that the partner had prepared. He was not given a severance package. Just three days after being fired, this lawyer secured a job with the appellate court judges who regularly heard appeals from the firm's litigation partner.
Now, the dismissed lawyer was in a place to closely scrutinize any appeal lodged by his old firm and their litigation partner, and to publicly highlight any upcoming mistakes in court decisions.
36. I Was Part Of The Jet Set
During my initial week as an intern at a major Fortune 500 company, I found myself working without the veteran intern who was out on a leave. However, there was a crucial meeting scheduled across the country that required our attendance. This opened up a door of opportunity for me.
I ended up flying to our company's location on the East Coast alongside some of our top-notch engineers and executives, all in a day's work on the company jet.
37. Bottom Line
I used to work full-time at Best Buy, in the home theater section. Four months in, we introduced a new system that helped us track our sales performance. I was one of the top performers at my store and across the district, with fantastic sales figures and a loyal customer base.
In the last quarter alone, I had two perfect scores from secret shoppers. My annual review was coming up and I confidently attended it, armed with my impressive sales figures, expecting a deserved pay raise. Over the busiest sales period—November through January—I'd made my store a whopping $389,000 in clear profit, not just sales.
But instead of the raise I requested, I was told I had reached the maximum wage for my position, a scanty $9.75 per hour. I was completely devastated when I left work that day. After two years of committed service to Best Buy, their response felt like a harsh insult to me. Undeterred, I showed up the next day and quit my job.
After all my toil, my yearly earnings, post-insurance and taxes, only came up to $12,900. Compared to the profit I brought in for the store over just three months, my compensation was a dismal 1/30th.
38. Locked Out
I spent nearly a year working with a company as a temp employee, expecting to become a full-time staffer once an opening arose. My duties included data entry with a mix of sensitive, password-protected information. The company surprised me by interviewing an out-of-state candidate for 'my' position.
When news broke of someone else getting hired, my boss was livid. Given this, I tried giving her my password but she flatly refused it, so I didn't bother sharing it with anyone else. As a result, the company had to hire an expert hacker to access their own data.
As if that wasn't enough, they initiated a hiring freeze shortly after, preventing their preferred candidate from joining. My boss shared they were left without a designated employee and had burned through a substantial amount of cash to crack my password. Funny thing, they never thought to ring me up and just ask for the password.
\After all the drama, they finally offered me the position. I accepted, but only on the condition of a pay hike and longer hours.I spent nearly a year working with a company as a temp employee, expecting to become a full-time staffer once an opening arose.
My duties included data entry with a mix of sensitive, password-protected information. The company surprised me by interviewing an out-of-state candidate for 'my' position. When news broke of someone else getting hired, my boss was livid. Given this, I tried giving her my password but she flatly refused it, so I didn't bother sharing it with anyone else.
As a result, the company had to hire an expert hacker to access their own data. As if that wasn't enough, they initiated a hiring freeze shortly after, preventing their preferred candidate from joining. My boss shared they were left without a designated employee and had burned through a substantial amount of cash to crack my password.
Funny thing, they never thought to ring me up and just ask for the password. After all the drama, they finally offered me the position. I accepted, but only on the condition of a pay hike and longer hours.
39. An Accident Waiting To Happen
So, as I was heading into work, I spotted a stray piece of paper on the floor. I bent down to pick it up and managed to get a nasty paper cut—a pretty crummy start to my day since it was going to bother me for hours. Once I got to work, I stumbled on the stairs and grazed my leg.
I was like, "Well, this day's getting better and better!" After cleaning up my scrape in the restroom, my luck got worse. A slip on the wet floor saw me bump my head against the sink. Now I had a paper cut, a scraped shin, and a sizeable lump on my forehead. I thought to myself, "How could this day possibly get worse?"
Just wait...it did. Back at my desk, I had to make a few copies, but as I was bent over the machine, my tie got yanked off by the feeder. Feeling pretty beaten, I tried focusing back on my day's tasks, but I didn't accomplish much.
Nearing day's end, a letter arrived. As I tried to open it with a letter opener, it slipped and sliced my thumb wide open. I figured the best course of action was to head to the nearby hospital. But the day wasn't over just yet—on my way there, I tripped on the curb and fell into the street.
As I was dusting myself off and standing back up, a distracted teenage girl hit me with her car. All I could think was, "Well, accidents do happen".
40. Asset Incognito
I once landed a job at a large tire store situated in an affluent neighborhood. Although I felt I had more qualifications than the position required, it was the only option available at the time.
Out of the blue, I found out one of our technicians was let go for failing a substance test. But that's not all—in a stroke of bad luck, our head technician also sustained a bicep injury, forcing him to take an extended leave of absence. Suddenly, I found that I was the most knowledgeable person in the workshop.
This meant I had to take up many additional tasks and work overtime. Despite working over 60 hours a week and being the only technician capable of diagnosing issues, my request for a pay raise and promotion was turned down.
Instead, a colleague of mine, who had only been with the company for a week, received a double promotion and an hourly pay increase.
While he was great at replacing tires, his mechanical repair skills didn't extend beyond changing an air filter. Disheartened and feeling undervalued, I handed in my resignation on the spot.
41. A “Miner” Inconvenience
I used to be a security guard at a gold mine. One day while doing my rounds, my truck got stuck in a ditch around the perimeter, needing a tow to get me out. The truck was a bit battered after that. However, my boss thought I was making up stories and ended up firing me.
Just after I got fired, the local Sheriff’s Department invited me in for an FBI chat about a theft that had happened at the mine a few months back. Considering I'd been on the job longer than anyone else, including my boss, they needed me to help connect the dots and finish their investigation.
As we discussed the case, it was pretty much clear that the accused thief couldn't have been acting alone. I hinted that the supposed thief was chummy with my boss, suggesting they might want to investigate him too. Sure enough, they soon discovered my boss was involved.
Not long after, my boss was taken into custody. In return for his full cooperation, he took a plea deal and ended up losing his freedom for five years. Although I got fired, I'd like to think I got the better end of the deal.
42. Hiding In Plain Sight
Once, while in the Marines, I had a job to unload some new generators using a forklift. These new generators had a camouflage paint job, and two of them were sitting next to each other on the bed of the truck. I couldn't tell there were two of them because of their deceptive paint, and assumed it was just a large one.
To my horror, I accidentally toppled over a generator worth 30,000 dollars from the truck resulting in its destruction. A minor investigation was conducted and I was on tenterhooks for a while. However, to my relief, the only consequence I suffered was a serious scolding.
43. Coming Out on Top
I used to work at a store that sells sporting and auto goods, and we had a pretty large team—around 35-40 people. One of our colleagues from the auto department was gay; it wasn't overly obvious, but clear. He was a middle-aged, sturdy fellow, very friendly, and had a real knack for anything related to cars.
He had been living happily with his partner for about 20 years. But our new general manager was terrible and made insensitive comments about his partner for nearly a month. He acted tough, but I knew it was affecting him.
Suddenly, his partner's company struck gold financially, meaning hefty bonuses, big pay rises, and other exciting developments. With newfound wealth, they planned to move to Vermont, get officially married, and essentially retire. So, during a store meeting, my friend from the auto section announced that he was retiring, effectively immediately.
He expressed his gratitude towards us for our support and camaraderie during his tenure at the company. He then removed his name tag and approached the General Manager, making us all hold our breath in anticipation. What happened next was truly memorable.
He extended his arm and let his name tag fall to the floor. Keeping his arm in the same position, he slowly transformed his hand into the most immaculately raised middle finger I've ever seen. Whispering five powerful words, "Forget you, you spiteful lady", he turned and confidently strutted out of the door, head held high.
The store sank into silence as the General Manager's face turned beet red and she stomped off to her office. After this tense moment, we couldn't help but laugh and cheer.
44. Karma’s A Glitch
I used to work at a Biotech Research firm where my lab was the main support system for most of the organization. My immediate manager was laid off, and my lab got placed under a different department head. But here's an interesting fact—this new manager seemed to favor the people from his initial team.
He assigned them to my lab even though they had no clue about the technology we use there. One lady from his team, thinking she knew it all, tampered with a critical and costly machine we used. This mishap resulted in a huge mess, stopping all lab operations and costing the company close to $250,000.
Even though I wasn't responsible, they fired me and retained her. Can you guess which company ran out of business?
45. I Wasn’t Loving It
At the McDonald's where I was employed, the restroom doors were designed poorly and were incredibly heavy. They would also shut really quickly. One day, a little girl didn't catch the warning sign in time and wasn't able to remove her hand from the door's path quickly enough.
The sharp impact severed the top portion of her finger. I quickly provided her with a cup of ice to preserve the detached bit of her finger. As I was about to dial for an ambulance, her mother intervened, stating that they couldn't afford it. So, she rushed her child to the hospital herself.
After they left, I was stuck with the grim task of cleaning up the scattered blood.
46. On the Hut
When I was 19, I was working at Pizza Hut as a manager. One night, I found myself under-staffed with only half a box of cheese left in the freezer—which was far less than our usual supply of 2-3 boxes per night. As a result, right in the middle of a bustling shift, we ran out of cheese.
I had a full dining room, was short on staff, and was left exasperated having to handle disgruntled customers. In response, I stepped into the dining area and announced, "Folks, we're fresh out of cheese. Tonight, everything is on the house!"
I then directed our sole waitress and the single prep cook to wrap up and head home, leaving the tables uncleaned. Needless to say, the restaurant was in a state of chaos. The next morning, the store manager arrived to find a letter from me explaining the situation. Despite the mess, he reached out to me, hoping to persuade me to return.
47. A Mass Exodus
I used to manage the nuclear department in a big global firm, overseeing about 100 staff before I, along with several others, were let go. Not long after, a former client reached out to me with an offer at their company.
I successfully convinced about 12 of my ex-colleagues—all of whom were engineers and designers—to come along and work with me. Within a year, there were barely 15 people left at my previous firm's nuclear department. Most of the work came through me and naturally, things slowed down after I was gone.
The decision to let me go came from someone four levels above me, someone I'd never even met. They didn't really grasp what I did or how I achieved it.
Flickr, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
48. This Was Not In My Job Description
My supervisor and his spouse requested that I craft a fictitious letter of recommendation for their privileged son, in an attempt to get him re-enrolled in university after he'd been expelled for dishonest academic practices.
As a result of this, my job title was upgraded to "Marketing Analyst" on my curriculum vitae, even though I was actually performing duties of an administrative assistant.
During a period when his wife had to stay in a treatment center for severe pain for three weeks, my boss asked me to send her a special delivery containing a bundle of magazines. He had something up his sleeve.
Before I packed it, he meticulously tucked medications amongst the papers.
49. Request in Denial
I used to hold a managerial position at a company where the executive leadership was poor. On a regular basis, I clocked 60-hour work weeks and assumed many of my director's responsibilities because he struggled with our systems. The work atmosphere was tense, marked by masked hostility and passive-aggressiveness.
Staff from other departments would often break down in tears on the job, and although it was slightly less in my department, stress-induced outbursts were common between departments, mirroring the executives' behavior. In the midst of all this, I did my best to protect my team from mistreatment and exploitation.
During a family member's passing, despite having bereavement leave, I worked every day from home and even during the funeral. What added to my frustration was having to handle repetitive tasks left incomplete by my boss, which he'd forget about only to have them reappear on my to-do list the next day.
Despite me highlighting this and other issues to him, months went by with no improvement. Eventually, our team had an intervention with him, expressing the urgent need for change. I pointed out the increasingly hostile working environment—a view shared by the team.
However, he dismissed these concerns as merely my perception and suggested we needed an attitude adjustment before walking out for a meeting on data that I had gathered for him. Frustrated, I resigned via HR and cleaned out my desk.
What's truly astonishing is that he proceeded to assign tasks to me several days post-resignation, under the impression that I was still employed. Leaving there was the most relieving decision I've ever made.
50. Safety First!
I used to be a car mechanic for a few years, working under a manager who happened to be the owner's nephew. His catchphrase was "Do this or go home". Eventually, he noticed the resentment building amongst us employees, and one by one, he would call us into his office to have a chat about office morale.
Meanwhile, a colleague and I had started discussing the idea of opening our own workshop, and of course, taking our regular customers with us. The nephew, our manager, somehow got wind of this and was clearly not pleased.
The subsequent day, we were both astounded to receive a call stating our suspension for a fortnight, asserting we had an intoxicating substance on our breath, which was absolutely untrue. Taken aback, I decided to retaliate.
I dialed the Environmental Protection Agency, and reported the manager's instructions to dispose of oil, oil filters, antifreeze, and other hazardous fluids into the dumpster. A day later, I found out that the EPA had slapped him with a substantial fine. Within two months, all their properties were put up for sale.
51. Tis the Season
When I was 21, I started working at UPS as a truck loader. In my first year, I quickly became the top loader in the warehouse—I just liked getting things done fast. My manager was incredibly supportive and always had a knack for resolving problems, which inspired me to aim for a supervisor role.
However, upon my promotion, they moved my brilliant manager to another warehouse, without giving a reason. I served as a supervisor for a year, during which time things got hectic during the peak season of November through early January. My then manager, who seemed to always agree with his boss, rarely offered help.
His go-to advice was either "just get it done" or "figure it out". Just as I entered this turbulent phase, I secured a complimentary pass for my best friend and I to participate in a World Series of Beverage Pong tournament in Vegas. The tournament, worth $600, was taking place at the Flamingo from January 1st-5th. This felt like a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and I didn't want to miss it.
The problem was that it's really hard to get leave during peak season. The workload was insane and they weren't approving vacation requests. Given the lack of support from my boss, I decided to just go for it. What I later discovered was that my manager, his immediate superior, and four other managers got fired for dishonestly altering time cards to inflate productivity.
That explained why my first manager, who wouldn't go along with such underhanded tactics, was transferred. Meanwhile, my best friend and I ranked 46th out of 500 teams in the tournament. That's a memory I'll never forget, and to this day, I have no regrets.
52. Irreplaceable
I was once employed by a doctor, always trying to save a dollar. My role was to teach biofeedback and relaxation techniques, which he believed anyone could master. Once when I got back from lunch, I was surprised to find his wife in the patient's chair.
He wanted me to teach her my skills so he could replace me with her, who'd obviously work for free. "Sure thing," I replied. I began explaining, starting with something like, "Start by positioning the pointer on the main finger, blah, blah...". (complete gibberish really).
Quickly, her eyes welled up with tears. "I don't understand what you're saying and I can't do this!" she confessed. Well, her not taking my job didn't shock me. I earned my certification and moved on when the time was right for me.
53. I Had To Deal With More Than Just Sneakers
I used to be an employee at Foot Locker. One quiet day, a former player of the Green Bay Packers walked in. Since the shop was not bustling, I was the sole sales assistant on duty. He kept requesting different shoe styles, sending me to the stockroom multiple times. Becoming frustrated, I couldn't help grumbling about his indecision.
My manager, who was doing paperwork in the stockroom, came out to check if everything was okay. This star player's presence wowed my manager, who offered to assist with anything the player needed. The player then sent my manager to assist me in the stockroom.
It was only when we returned together that we realized the player had disappeared, along with multiple pairs of shoes. I suggested we call security, giving my manager a heads-up about the theft. Surprisingly, my manager refused, saying he didn't want to report the famed athlete.
A few days later, Corey Williams of the Packers and some friends came in. They started acting similar to the previous incident, asking for multiple shoe styles and sizes. I feared they were planning the same scam. In response, I tactfully asked to return the unselected shoes to the stockroom.
Corey Williams was not pleased, demanding I leave all the shoes and fetch more sizes. I stood firm, adopting a six-shoe-to-a-bench limit policy (even though this was a ruse) to keep the situation in check. I explained that we couldn't bring out more sizes until we returned the unused ones to the stock.
Corey fell silent before abruptly pulling out a stash of money from his pocket and pressing it against my chest, causing the cash to spill everywhere. He boasted, “I got money!” before scooping the scattered bills and making a quick exit with his friends. I was still taken aback when my manager came over to inquire what happened.
Mid-explanation, a loud knock against the store's window interrupted us. It was Corey Williams holding a bag from Champs, taunting me and shouting something like, "Competition gets your money now!" Unbeknown to Corey, Footlocker owns Champs.
At the end of the day, Champs' manager brought us Corey Williams’ payment, and we safely stored it away.
54. Terrible Management
Around a decade ago, I was working in retail as an assistant manager. I got assigned to take charge of another store in the area, substituting for their then-absent manager, who was on sick leave due to stomach cancer. Despite no extra pay, I took on the role aiming to establish myself.
Nine months later, the original manager came back, again taking the lead. Frankly, I didn't like him much from the start. He seemed superficial, spiteful, and showed no concern for his staff's welfare. But I kept my grievances to myself and maintained a professional behavior.
Three months in, my grandfather unfortunately departed and decisions were being made about my grandmother's future, as she could no longer afford their house. In discussing this situation with my boss, he shockingly confessed his anticipations of his grandparents' deaths, looking forward to inheriting their belongings.
To say the least, I was appalled by his attitude. Especially, as our family was in the middle of making emotional decisions about relocating my grandmother and sorting out her possessions since she was moving to a smaller home.
The moving day, unfortunately, coincided with a day I was scheduled to work, but I thought it wouldn't be an issue to swap shifts. To my surprise, my boss bluntly refused my request for a shift change without a reasonable explanation, revealing his callous nature.
That was the straw that broke the camel's back. In a bustling store full of customers and fellow employees, I confronted him in a fit of anger, facing him off with strong words. Once I was done, I ripped off my uniform, tossed it, and stormed out.
After helping my family with the move, I got a call from my district manager who insisted we meet to discuss the incident. She heard my side of the story, and much to my surprise, urged me to stay with the company by offering a position at a different store.
I couldn't believe it. In a surprising twist, half a year later, my ex-boss was fired—he'd been stealing. Moreover, it later emerged that he never had cancer; he had just exploited the situation for a paid break. Soon after, I was promoted.
55. Don’t Know Her
Work under my previous manager was far from pleasant. However, I was moved to another division where the manager was excellent and together, we discovered several mistakes that the former manager made.
Unfortunately, office politics came into play and the good manager had his contract bought out, returning us to the old manager who was breaking both law and company rules. I raised these issues with Human Resources and in return, received a satisfying severance package.
A couple of years down the line, a recruitment agency called me for a reference check on my old manager. I kept my comments brief which spoke louder than words. As a result, she didn't get the job.
56. Looking Good Until The End
I spent three days tidying up a building set to be torn down soon. The place was already marked for demolition in the near future. My job? To clean, sweep, and mop a building that was just going to be demolished. But why? It was so, so stupid.
Basically, a high-ranking general was visiting in a couple of days. He was coming to check how well the planned demolition in that area was progressing. And they didn't want him to see a messy building.
57. Lifelong Accomplishments
I worked for 37 years and when my partner was battling cancer, I asked for time off to take care of them. Although I had eight weeks of paid time off saved up, my leave request was turned down. So, I decided to leave my job to be there for my partner during their final month.
58. A Costly Mistake
My supervisor stormed in one day, upset about something someone else did, and ended up firing me on the spot. I promptly found another job and went on with managing my life. A fortnight later, my phone rang with my ex-boss on the other end asking for the office server password.
I informed him that it was kept safely inside an envelope in the backup vault. However, he had carelessly tossed out all my documents, including the one containing the server password. I felt wronged by the hasty termination and decided to take the case to a tribunal, following advice to keep silent with them until the issue was settled.
As a result, two years of intensive medical research was inaccessible until the resolution of my case.
59. Put On The Brakes!
I used to work at a camp for children with special needs. One day, a colleague of mine was at the top of some stairs with her camper in a wheelchair. She briefly turned her back to grab a hat for her camper, but forgot to set the brakes on the wheelchair.
Due to a slight incline, the youngster ended up rolling down the concrete steps, head first, opening a serious wound on his head. It was truly horrifying. The image will forever be etched in my memory.
60. Moment’s Notice
I'm an IT manager. I worked for a company that failed to appreciate our department's significance. A string of events led to my decision, but the final push came when it was announced that a satellite office would close and the employees able to do so would be moved to our location.
Here's the shocker—the IT team, heard about this simultaneously with the rest of the company, months after the decision was made. We were kept in the dark about this huge change that inevitably meant a ton of extra work, longer hours, and added stress for us as we scrambled to handle the moves, set up new infrastructure, and meet all the other requirements.
Right in the middle of the announcement, I walked out. My boss, the CFO, threatened to fire me if I didn't get on board with their plan. But, he couldn't fire me—I'd just quit! Subsequently, the CEO reached out to me to negotiate my return.
I agreed to come back for half a year but only if I got a 25% pay raise for myself and my team. Unfortunately, after my six-month tenure, I moved on and the remaining team members were let go.
61. Dial Tone
For seven years, I had a job in an environmental testing lab. I was let go because I made an unintentional mistake and forgot to replicate a test on a sample that was required by the EPA. Oddly enough, no one else in the lab was familiar with how to perform this test. A couple of days after, I got a call at home from my lab manager.
He seemed unhinged, saying how I was unfairly treated—even though it was him who had both reported me and shifted all the blame onto me so he could avoid getting into any trouble. Then, he sweetly asked if I could explain to him how to conduct the test. It was at this point I ended the call, more forcefully than I ever thought possible.
62. The Lone Wolf
A while back, I used to work at a textile shop just around the corner from my house, filling the shelves with goods. One day, I assisted a customer who happened to be a furry, all decked out in a wolf costume. He expressed his needs without uttering a single word.
Despite this, I managed to understand what he was looking for and pointed him in the right direction. In response, he expressed his gratitude in the most peculiar way: he honked his nose and it emitted a soft, high-pitched squeak. Quite a strange experience, I must say.
63. Baked with Power
I held a job at the Walmart bakery corner for a month. Everything was going smooth and I was mingling well with my colleagues until a new assistant manager was assigned. This lady has previously troubled my family members in various Walmart outlets.
As soon as she discovered my relation to my mom, she started being unpleasant to me, even going to the extent of belittling me in front of shoppers. The absolute low point was her decision to leave me alone at the bakery until the store closed every evening.
All other employees had the convenience to exit at 2 p.m., while my shift was extended until 8 p.m. Beyond that, she pushed me to manage the deli section, wasn't respectful of my break schedules, and demanded me to tidy up the bakery on my own each night.
This went on for four consecutive days, where I was left alone from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. On the fifth day, just before the other bakery staff were heading home, I took off my work vest, handed it to a coworker, declared that I was quitting, and walked away.
64. A Snow-Brainer
My job was cut by my boss to save expenses, and while I was packing up, I reminded her that she needed to arrange for snow plowing. I used to do all the snow-clearing tasks like shovelling, scraping, and salting. Her remark was irritating: "Oh, I didn't think of that".
The timing of me being let go was just before the winter season, when you'd typically line up this type of contract months earlier. The expense of having the sidewalks cleared early in the morning before work was probably more than what I earned in a month.
Plus, the rest of the staff are elegant women who always need to look spotless, smell fresh, and avoid heavy sweating. Snow shovelling is way beneath their pay grade and not at all within their skill set.
65. Trying To Talk Trash
While at work, I noticed a man struggling to use a trash can. He might have had dementia as he circled it repeatedly without spotting the opening. So, I picked up some litter from my floor to show him the location of the trash can's hole. But it seemed like he was still unable to understand it.
66. Shift in Tragedy
When I was 15, I landed my first job as a lifeguard at a popular swimming club that summer. One of the star swimmers also happened to be a person I admired profoundly. I considered him a friend, but more than that, he was a person I deeply respected.
He was kind, intelligent, and funny—all the qualities that made him universally well-liked. One morning, my mom, who was friends with the swimmer's parents, woke me up with tragic news. He had perished in a car accident the previous night. Despite my grief for such a wonderful person's loss, I went to work.
But that day proved to be extremely tough. I was too emotional and couldn't focus on my work, as my mind continually drifted to the loss of my friend. I found myself crying randomly, physically unable to calm my breathing, questioning my beliefs, and overall having an awful day.
Roughly halfway through my shift, I sought my boss out to ask if I could leave early, seeing how greatly distressed I was. But instead of understanding, he dismissed my request. He said, "No, going home won't bring your friend back, your job should be your priority while you're here".
Frustrated by his lack of compassion, I replied firmly, "Forget it, I quit" and stormed out of the establishment. I didn't regret my decision even a bit because it felt right at the moment. Surprisingly, no one held it against me either.
67. Double Or Nothing
I landed a job to revamp an electrical system for a local government. After working tirelessly for a year, and nearing completion, the annual pay raise season arrives. Everyone gets a $1-per-hour increase, but me. I decided to raise my concern at the following board meeting, requesting a similar percentage pay hike.
They declined, even laughed at me, unjustly claiming I was a temporary employee, thus not entitled to a pay raise. Hearing their unfair justification, I decided to search for a better job. The very next morning, I managed to secure a position which offered significantly higher compensation and I was set to start the upcoming Monday.
I informed the Mayor about my resignation. He asked me to come to the office at 2:00 PM. There, I met with the board members, including the woman who labeled me 'temporary.' She rudely questioned me about the standard two-week notice.
Holding my ground, I patiently waited for her to finish, and then pointed out that as a 'temporary' worker, I didn't owe them a notice. Not ending there, I agreed to work over the weekends to finish the substation controls, but only for one-and-a-half times my new pay rate.
Ironically, on the 4th of July, they were desperate for my help due to an outage. None of their employees were reachable, so they ended up paying me double my rate, the least they could do for holiday pay. After that pricey incident, they didn't dare to call me again!
68. Bathroom Bungle
One evening, I found myself working late, under the impression that I was the sole occupant of the building. Given a past event where two women were tragically ended in the building, the thought of being alone had me on edge. I was in the ladies' bathroom when I saw someone walk in who I initially mistook for a man.
I told them, "Excuse me, this is the ladies' room. Please leave!" To my surprise, it was actually a woman. She asked, "I beg your pardon, could you repeat that?" Feeling embarrassed, I simply excused myself and exited.
69. Hanging Up My Apron
Back when I was working at a Kinko's, the manager and assistant manager were technically scheduled every single day. However, both would rarely stick around for longer than an hour per shift, and they passed the responsibility of daily paperwork onto me. There was an important deadline for getting this paperwork to the headquarters.
This often meant leaving the front desk undermanned during rush hours. If the store got crowded, I'd need to halt my paperwork ritual. The process involved securely packing the day's earnings into the safe, which took up a good four minutes. Once done, I'd run back to the front desk.
When I returned to the paperwork, I had to undo everything, which consumed another four minutes. So every time there was a rush, I'd lose about 18 minutes for just 10 minutes’ worth of inconclusive paperwork. In the midst of my final academic quarter, I received a harsh performance review.
The criticism was that I was leaving the front desk unattended for too long. I tried arguing that the paperwork was not my job to begin with, but my point didn't hold. The district manager had criticized the store manager for frequently missing when he visited, and I became the scapegoat for that.
Infuriated by being blamed for my bosses' laziness, I took the three-day paid "decision-making leave" to think on whether I should continue working there. They assured me I wouldn't be handed the paperwork anymore. I was just two weeks from my portfolio review and didn't have time to job hunt.
On my first day back, the assistant manager arrived for his shift and commanded, "Head to the back and do the paperwork, quick! I've got a paintball match in an hour!" To this, I retorted "Screw you," threw my apron at him and stormed out. It was a satisfying moment, although later that night I was worried about how I'd cover my rent.
Soon after my portfolio review, I landed a new job. Things ultimately fell into place.
70. Say It With Flowers
I once knew a person who unfairly lost their job at a garden center. It appears many employees weren't fond of the manager. However, the former staff member found an unforgettable way to get back at him.
Across the street from the garden center was a muddy slope. The fired individual decided to sneak back after sunset one fall evening to plant a bunch of daffodil bulbs in the soil. Sure enough, when spring arrived, the daffodils sprouted—spelling out a message that read "(manager’s name) is a dimwit".
71. Copy That!
I used to operate a printing shop. One day, an unsuspecting elderly lady walked in, requesting me to replicate several covers of repair and instruction manuals for various types of arms and potent rounds. That wasn't too surprising, considering my shop was close to the county fairgrounds, a place known for hosting weapon exhibits almost every month.
Only a few days later, she returned with a rather peculiar printing request. Shaken, I spotted covers of manuals for homemade explosives, strategic signs for maps—signifying makeshift explosives, enemy/friendly units, assembly and target locations—coupled with intricate diagrams of a nearby air force installation.
This was highly alarming, but oddly I felt unsafe in denying her the service. Once the lady left, I quickly alerted my area manager and the FBI. It wasn't long before a couple of agents turned up at my store. They wiped all the data on my printers' hard drives, and I spent a good portion of the next couple hours answering their queries.
I got a follow-up call from one of the agents a few days after with further questions and a general state of gratitude for cooperating. After this, I didn't hear anything more about that particular event.
72. Low Ink Levels
Before heading off on a business trip, my boss neglected to handle our payroll, leaving the unfortunate task of informing us about delayed payments to the office manager. Disgruntled, I left the staff meeting, vowing to return only once the paychecks were in.
By the time I returned home, I was agitated enough to call my operations manager and hand in my resignation. The excuse for the boss not doing payroll was infuriating—apparently, the printer cartridge at his house ran out of ink. It seems like he had forgotten that traditional check writing is still an option.
73. Not So Fast
The shop owner blamed me for something and said I had to travel to another city to collect my final salary. However, according to the law, they need to give my wage at the place I worked.
They also planned to shift the store to a bigger location right next door. So, I legally blocked this move by putting a lien on it. After doing this, I received my paycheck in no time.
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74. That Punk Took A Bite Out Of My Paycheck
On the evening before Thanksgiving, I was working as a bartender in a packed bar. Due to my boss's stinginess, it was just me and another bartender who was only five feet tall. This situation basically made me a part-time bouncer.
There was a troublesome youth who approached me, clearly under the influence already, and outrageously asked for free drinks because the bar was so crowded. I replied politely that he was free to leave if he wasn’t comfortable or he could buy a drink instead. He decided to purchase drinks for himself and his three friends.
But before serving them their drinks, I asked for either their stamps or IDs. Since none of them could produce any proof, I requested all four of them to leave, because according to the law, those without valid proof of being over 21 are not allowed in the bar. Three of them agreed, but the demanding youth refused to go.
This is when things got heated. After a loud confrontation, he resorted to spitting on me. Reacting instinctively, I grabbed him in a headlock and dragged him out of the bar. As I was restraining him—asking whether he'd learned his lesson—he bit my hand, breaking the skin between my thumb and forefinger.
Eventually regaining my composure, I tried to find the kid, but he had disappeared. I decided enough was enough and kicked everyone out. By the time I finished closing the bar, it was 6 a.m.
My bite wound was so deep that I had to go to the hospital, got nine stitches, took tests to rule out any infections, and didn’t get back home till 9:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning. Later that day at 8 p.m., when I arrived to open the bar, a local law enforcement officer was waiting. As it turns out, this officer was the father of the biter.
He slapped me with four citations for allowing minors into the bar, informed my boss, and got me suspended for the night. The fines wiped out all the earnings I made on Thanksgiving eve and I lost around $700 in wages from not working.
75. See You, Motel 8-er
When I first started working right after I graduated, they told me my role might need a bit of travel, and I was okay with that. However, a couple of weeks into the job, I found out that "a bit of travel" meant spending more than six months in a budget motel in Arkansas with my not-so-neat boss.
Being a young chap, there's not much that bothers me, but sharing a space with your boss while he parades around in just his underwear, inviting questionable women from local bars, and making you step out when things get intimate, well, that crosses a line.
I would've raised concerns, but our superior was my boss's old friend and fraternity brother—there was no way my concerns would take precedence. I managed to stick around for three months until they took us back to the headquarters for one week. At this point, I knew this job was not suitable for me, and I couldn't go back.
So, I marched into the main office, informed them professionally that the job wasn't a good fit, and tendered my two weeks notice. Much to my surprise, they decided to introduce me the next day to about 20 of my colleagues, only to have the boss criticize me openly for leaving, publicizing my supposed lack of commitment.
The day after that, I found all my belongings in a box, and they told me they didn't need me to serve the notice period. Two weeks later, I went for an interview for a job that paid better. I landed the job, and four years later, I haven't once regretted leaving my old job.
76. The Surgical Approach
I used to work for a company that supplied surgical tools. I noticed that no sales managers were kept around for longer than three months. They would be let go for insignificant reasons, then the company would just carry on with the sales leads those managers had generated.
When my three-month review came around, they let me go for supposedly not arranging enough meetings. That prompted me to look into the person running the show, the managing director. Turns out, he wasn't even supposed to be in that role due to his status as a bankrupt individual.
I didn't think it was right, so I stepped up—I reported him to the proper folks in charge. As a result, he had to step down from his job, placing his son in his role while basically still controlling everything. Even after this, I felt obligated to report him again, resulting in him receiving a significant penalty and barely avoiding time in confinement.
77. This Job Stung Like A Bee
I used to work for a landscaping company. One day, while mowing a new client's backyard, I noticed a large hole swarming with bees. They seemed agitated by the mower's noise. In hopes of avoiding a potential bee attack, I immediately informed my boss.
His unconventional solution, though, was to pour gasoline into the hole and set it on fire! And believe it or not, I followed his advice. As soon as I tossed in the match, the hole lit up. But then, things went sideways...
The flames forced the entire bee colony to flee, not just from the one hole I knew about, but from six or seven other hidden holes across the lawn. Suddenly, we were in the middle of a bee swarm.
That incident should've made me quit on the spot, but it wasn't until a near-miss with a falling tree and getting paid with toy gas cars that I started looking for work elsewhere.
78. On the Dot
I once had a job at a call center, my workday started at 10. I swiped into the office at around 9:55 and tried to log in. But, with the old computer I had to use, it took ages to get started. So long, in fact, that by the time I got logged in, I was 15 seconds past my shift.
When I explained this to my manager, he basically said there was nothing he could do. Because I was technically late, I got put on probation and lost my chance for a raise that month. He even suggested that I should come in 15 minutes early to avoid this in the future.
I left my headset with him, walked out, and haven't worked in a call center ever since.
79. A Wrench In The Works
My buddy Bob used to work at an oil field. One day, someone dropped a wrench down a well and Bob got the blame. But Bob didn't let it slide, he retrieved the wrench from the well on his own. Just as he was returning the wrench to the toolbox, his boss fired him on the spot.
Feeling wronged, Bob decided to take immediate action. He picked up the toolbox and dumped half its contents right down the well.
80. We Were On A Roll
Once upon a time, I was working at a local eatery. We were understaffed that day, and that wasn't the worst part—to add to our predicament, the oven steamer went kaput. Therefore, I had to use the microwave to cook everything, even a lobster tail! The bartender, seeing the remarkable job we did, introduced my colleague and me to the dining room.
The customer was so satisfied that he praised us, saying it was the most delicious lobster he'd ever tasted. He even claimed we had outdone Red Lobster!
81. Selective Memory
My boss said he'd called me to alter my work schedule, but there were no missed calls from him on my phone, so clearly that wasn't true. The same day, he assigned me an unplanned afternoon shift without checking if I was available or happy to take it.
During my next shift, he questioned me for not showing up for the newly added shifts, even presenting a printed work schedule as evidence. In response, I displayed a screenshot of my original roster—taken two days after it was initially published —demonstrating I wasn't scheduled for that day.
He just shrugged it off, gave a friendly smile, nodded, and sent me back to work. When the roster for the following week was released, I noticed my name was missing. I inquired about it, only to learn that due to my 'unexcused' absence and lack of communication, he'd stripped me of two weeks' shifts.
I challenged him, reminding him that we'd had a conversation about it and that he had agreed everything was fine. Ignoring this, he acted like he had no recollection of the conversation. He was stunned when I resigned before my two-week notice ended. Three days later, I received a voicemail asking why I hadn't reported for my shifts.
When I called back, reminding him that I'd already clarified I'd found a new job and wouldn't be returning, he insisted that he never made the original call or left a voice message, suggesting I might be confused!
He made it sound as though some stranger, sounding exactly like him, used his phone, dialed my number, falsely represented him, and left a message using my personal information for what purpose? Accomplish what? A few weeks later, that boss was fired.
Turned out, he had been playing similar tricks on other staff members. They even removed his name from the entrance of the building.
82. Slipped My Mind…
A truck driver I know recently lost his job because he dropped off cargo at a business in New Jersey. His truck was too long to navigate the streets of New York City. The strange thing is, the main office didn't say anything when he made the delivery. The company chose to fire him when the business sent in invoices for re-delivery.
After the local company had filled his semi-trailer, he took off, heading west to make a few more deliveries. A day or two later, the main office called him and let him go over the phone. However, they didn't say anything about his current load, and the local business didn't know that the headquarters was planning to fire him.
Unemployed, he left his semi-trailer (he owned the truck, but not the trailer) in a parking lot at a truck stop, somewhere between Ohio (where he had made a delivery) and, presumably, his home state of Oklahoma. The company didn't realize where the trailer was for two full days.
He didn't answer their calls for a day, and when he finally talked to them, he conveniently couldn't remember which truck stop it was. Honestly, all truck stops do sort of blend together.
83. Best Buds No More
A colleague and I, who had become pals at work, started our jobs together. We both hung out often, indulging in Xbox games, and jointly clocked in two and a half years at our store, becoming the most experienced in our roles.
An opportunity cropped up for a promotion to be a Director's Assistant, which came with a better salary and full-time benefits. We both passed the interviews with the understanding that we'd give our best shots and bear no regrets. My friend eventually emerged as the winner, and even though I congratulated him, he seemed a bit uneasy.
He confessed it was a tough competition and he was aware I was equally deserving. However, I later encountered a shocking revelation about my so-called friend's duplicity. A week into his promotion, I got summoned by the store director for a grave discussion, accusing me of manipulating work hours, alleged theft, and unauthorized discounts to pals.
I boldly denied these allegations, demanding hard evidence or I'd sue, and ended up suspended for an investigation. A week after the suspension, I was invited for a meeting with top management and was transparently apologized to. Then, they surprised me by promoting me to the vacated Director's Assistant role.
Apparently, my friend had been caught red-handed several times, stealing and giving undue discounts, as evident from his digital log. He'd tried to deflect attention to me instead. Upon confrontation, he failed to uphold his lies, apologized, and returned some items he intended to thieve after his shift.
He had essentially attempted to sabotage me for his gain.
84. 4’O Clock Shadow
I used to stock shelves at Hollister, nestled in the store's back, so I didn't frequently interact with customers. Despite this, I was required to wear Hollister's clothes and adhere to their strict grooming regulations. It was absolutely ridiculous—they had rules for everything: from your hairdo to your nails to your facial hair.
One early morning, starting my shift at 2:30 AM to rearrange the store's display, I was expected to work till the mall doors swung open for business. I had stubble that was barely a day and a half old, and this minor detail didn't escape my manager's notice.
She confronted me at 4 a.m., warning me to shave before the mall starts buzzing with customers. If I didn't, she threatened to send me packing for the day. I casually responded, "Well, it seems today is my lucky day. I've been considering quitting anyway. Best of luck with the display," and made my exit.
Afterward, I grabbed breakfast, a tasty biscuit meal, returned home, and cozied up in bed.
85. We’ll Be In Touch
The boss swapped me out for his new son-in-law, who was later busted taking two computers. A few years on, I was heading a department at a different company when this same son-in-law, now jobless, called me hoping for a job. I had a plan ready: as soon as he arrived, security would show him the door!
But a coworker suggested a softer method. Her advice was to just conduct an interview and then politely inform him we'd get back if interested. Her idea was unquestionably perfect.
86. What He Does In The Shadows
Here's a simpler, conversational retelling of that story: I was working at a help desk for an online bank when I got a call from a young guy who was 18. He had noticed a $7 charge from "allpay" on his account and didn't recognize it. He started to accuse my bank and me of stealing his money.
He even called me a "sneaky little jerk". He got his dad on the phone who backed up his son's ridiculous accusation, implied I was a pitiful thief conning adults too, even though I only helped people navigate online banking. Despite this, I called our debit card team to get more details.
They certainly had surprising information to share. I had the delightful task of explaining this to the dad: "Hi, thanks for your patience. I've spoken with our debit card team and now understand why your son didn't recognize the "allpay" reference. It's an ambiguous term used by certain services for privacy, in this case with online adult content.
It seems that's what he paid for. Do you want me to explain this to your son, or will you pass on the info?" All the dad could do was mumble that we didn't need to look into this further, said thanks for my assistance, and ended the call.
87. Big Job, Big Attitude
I spent about a year as a stock associate at Wal-Mart. Once summer ended, a manager instructed me to haul bulky 80-100+ lb wooden planks from the lawn and garden section in the parking lot to the storage sheds roughly 500 yards away. She expected me to accomplish this task alone within an hour.
Upon trying, I found that I couldn't even lift a single plank due to their length, despite being a 6'2" and 230 lbs guy. I communicated this problem over the intercom, but she dismissed my struggles as mere complaints. Eventually, she sent over another co-worker to assist, and an hour into the task, we'd only managed a third of it.
At that point, she, along with another person, joined us. So, this task she initially expected me to complete solo within an hour ended up taking six people two hours. When it was time for lunch, she confronted me at the clock-out machine, intent on discussing my 'attitude'.
I shrugged it off, highlighting the effort it took to finish the task, then quit on the spot. A couple of days later, they invited me to complete termination paperwork. I cited "managerial incompetence and low staff morale" as my reason for leaving.
When I bumped into a different manager a month later, he mentioned that the former supervisor was demoted due to this incident. He pleaded with me to return, but I'd already found a more satisfying job at a grocery store, far away from the stifling atmosphere at Wal-Mart.
88. Keeping It Classy
Once, someone told me that the best way to get back at someone is by living a good life. I was let go from a job that I had relocated for just after seven months. So, there I was, stuck in a new city, with a lease, a home for sale a thousand miles away, and my mother was sick. (I was fired because I went to be with her without giving "ample notice"). I was down—but I refused to accept defeat.
For the following six weeks, I took care of the preliminary affairs of my mom's estate, then landed myself a job at a company that appreciates me and treats me with respect. I'm quite content with my life now, I appreciate your concern. In fact, I hardly recall that previous incident.
89. Check Out This Piece Of Work
Over my years working as a cashier, I had encountered this woman multiple times. Each time was the same. She'd pile her cart high with hundreds of items, I'd scan them and hit total, and only then would she begin rummaging in her purse for her checkbook.
By the time she had found it and started writing out her check, a long line had formed behind her, and everyone, myself included, were growing increasingly frustrated. Once her check had been scanned and tucked away in the cash drawer, I would hand her a receipt, only to be met by an expectant hand.
Why, I wondered, was she looking for a high-five? Instead, she cleared her throat, asking, "Where's my check?" Confused, I explained that her check was in the drawer, stored safely after the completion of our transaction.
"I want my check back," she insisted, but I calmly explained our procedure to her—that we needed to keep her check to ensure there were no errors in our transactions and that everything was in safe hands, to be deposited into the bank by an armed guard.
Despite this, she stayed resolute, warning that she would return her purchases and shop elsewhere if she could not retrieve her check. I sensed a power play, but she had underestimated me. It was my last week on the job, and I felt a little daring. So, I took her receipt, voided her transaction, and returned her check along with the receipts.
I told her, quite clearly, "Here you go, I've canceled your purchase and returned your check. Good luck with your shopping at the next store". As I began to unpack her items, a look of shock appeared on her face. "But I bought those!" she protested.
I politely reminded her of what she'd said earlier—that she'd shop elsewhere if she couldn't keep her check. As I began to serve the next customer in line, I saw her arguing with the manager who, also adhering to our store's policy, couldn't let her keep her check, either.
The real highlight of my day was when she, livid, ripped the receipt from the manager's hands, threw her bags haphazardly into the cart and stormed out. The cherry on top? She ran her shopping cart into the door frame on her way out—a sight that brought laughter to a few onlookers. What a memorable day it was!
90. Mourning Event Staff
Almost ten years ago, I lost a dear friend of mine. I'd asked to take the day off for his funeral, but my request fell on deaf ears. So, on the day I had to bid farewell to my young 21-year-old friend, I was also expected to clock in at work. As an Event Captain, my role involved being the cheerful face of our staff to our clients.
Despite my best efforts to mask my grief and maintain a sunny disposition, I couldn't. My sour mood didn't go unnoticed, and the client lodged a complaint with my boss afterwards. The following week, I noticed a change in my schedule.
I was no longer the captain; instead, I was listed as a server for the whole week with less pay and a reduced tip percentage. Upon questioning my boss, I learned that my demotion was due to the previously lodged complaint. I was stunned and upset. I decided then and there to quit.
I felt it was unfair to be forced to work on such a distressing day, and to then be demoted for not being able to hide my sorrow after mourning the loss of one of my closest friends. I had no patience for such a heartless environment.
91. The Long Walk
I once knew a guy who got sacked by his boss while they were in the middle of nowhere for a service call. His boss had tagged along with him. He removed all the company's stuff from his own truck and then just drove off. Yes, it was his own truck.
He was stranded 30 miles away from any town, with no one else in sight and no cell reception. Despite all this, he made a trip back to his old workplace to clear out his locker, pick up his final paycheck, and left a message suggesting they send someone to pick up the boss he had left behind.
92. That’s On You
I create and cut together marketing videos and then upload them on our company's YouTube channel. One day, after I had uploaded an ordinary video, I got called into my boss's office. It was all about an email our director had fired off to my boss and a few others.
The director is not a fan of our team—and I seem to be his favorite target. This situation was awkward, to say the least. In his email, he claimed I had botched the promo video as it supposedly had "several repulsive videos linked to it". To back his claim, he shared a screenshot taken at the end of the video, where YouTube suggests other videos you might like to watch.
Oddly enough, all the recommended videos featured Asian women in revealing attire striking provocative poses. Here's where he, even my boss, was clueless about how YouTube's recommendation system works.
Little did he know, these video suggestions were based on his viewing activity or someone else who's been using his account. I'm still in the dark about how my boss explained this to him.
93. Fatal Nepotism
My aunt helped me land a position as a technician in a chemical factory. Since I was young and naive, I shared with my trainer that my aunt played a major role in securing my job. This led him to initiate what he considered "initiation pranks". From the get-go, he would conveniently forget to give me important details and frequently put me down.
I almost lost my cool with him just after one shift. On the second shift, things got worse. While I was working on a pipe, he neglected to seal it as he was supposed to. Only because I noticed unusual vibrations and quickly rolled away, I narrowly escaped a burst of scalding steam. I reported this to our supervisor.
His response was that I was overreacting, although he did suggest moving me to a different shift. Instead, I resigned. My aunt was initially upset with my decision, until she discovered from workplace gossip that my accusations against the trainer were true.
94. The Domino Effect
Once, I managed a Domino's franchise but was let go for allegedly handing over excessive cash to a burglar. I raised a discrimination claim, and as the process unfolded, it came to light that the district manager was pilfering supplies from the branches he managed.
He feared I'd catch him since I thoroughly reviewed my expense sheets. On the eve of the trial, they made a hefty six-figure settlement to me and covered my attorney costs. That's a satisfying turn of events!
95. No Connection
A rather irritable lady of high standing came into the shop, convinced that the brand new Microsoft Surface her husband bought for $3,000 was broken because she couldn't access the internet while on the go. I quickly deduced that she was referring to Wi-Fi. Oh boy, explaining its workings was challenging!
I informed her that Wi-Fi wouldn't work outside her home but she could tether the internet from her smartphone. However, she flatly refused to accept my explanation. She accused me of lying and making fun of her. Eventually, she asked to consult my supervisor who, almost verbatim, repeated what I'd already told her.
Shouting in frustration, she left the store.
96. Projecting Gossip
While working at a restaurant, a hostess insisted that I was having an affair with the owner, which was completely untrue. She assumed the money for my holiday must have been from him and accused me of secret liaisons behind his family's back. It created a strange, uncomfortable atmosphere for a few days.
She even lied to new staff members, claiming I was badmouthing them and spreading false rumors about me. I ended up leaving during a shift when she cornered me in the storage room, demanding I confess to being involved with this man. In reality, our interactions were limited to the odd table handover or stock check.
He was bald, overweight, married, and hardly spoke to me outside work-related matters. After my departure, I discovered the shocking truth—the hostess and the owner were the ones in a relationship, not me. She was the one causing all the fuss. Looking back, I'm relieved I left when I did.
97. A Happy Coincidence
My buddy made a move from IT to a marketing team, thinking it would better suit her abilities. Sadly, it wasn't as pleasant as she hoped. The only other person on her team wasn't carrying their share of the workload and had a pretty bad attitude.
To make things worse, lodging a complaint to the boss was futile because he was involved romantically with this team member! As a result, my friend discreetly started to look for jobs elsewhere and found one that offered a significant pay rise.
She prepared a letter of resignation to bring in the next day, but hesitated to hand it over, maybe to avoid any clash. But in a surprising turn, the boss asked her into his office that morning and shared the news that she was being laid off. She used her remaining vacation days, collected a nice severance package, and jumped right into her new role!
98. Hey, I Know You
As a previous Uber driver, I once had an experience where I picked up a smartly dressed woman on one side of town, intending to drop her off in a posh neighborhood on the other side. During the journey, she made multiple phone calls and from her conversations, it was apparent that she was a companion engaging with multiple clients.
It also became clear to me that the person she was about to meet was her most affluent client. This client, a personal injury lawyer, was quite a local celebrity due to his pervasive advertising. His name is quite familiar to almost everyone in town—supposedly living a settled life with his wife and kids.
However, my passenger suggested a different story. His residence was an impressive beachside mansion. Being a lawyer must be profitable.
99. Following Up
My unbearable boss trailed me after work to my second job, not trusting that I even had one and thinking I was just making excuses to leave early. When I got to job number two, my other boss said, "Some wild woman is out there pounding on our door calling for you".
So, I fetched my second job's uniform from my bag, marched to the door, tossed it at her, and politely asked her to leave.
100. Bye, Karen
After beating cancer, I returned to work only to be promptly summoned by my boss. Instead of the typical greeting, she suggested, given my age and recent illness, I should consider retiring. Despite this, I held on for a year, even though my official retirement was still six years away.
After enduring a strained relationship with my boss, who'd previously ousted all male staff from the department, I approached HR and requested an early exit offer. Bearing the tense situation in mind, they came up with a generous proposal contingent on me not pursuing a harassment lawsuit.
I agreed, leaving with a nice six-figure sum. But there was a twist of fate—my boss was transferred to a different department shortly after my departure. But that wasn't the end; she went through multiple companies over the next four years—up to five, by my count.
Despite her poor interpersonal skills, her father's political clout has always kept her employed. In my view, her constant job hopping was the best kind of payback for her tough behavior.
101. All Good Things Come To An End
I rolled out of bed without needing an alarm, ate some breakfast, took a nice bath, and felt pretty great on my half-hour drive to work. As I was driving, I even thought, "I'm such a lucky lad, the roads are quite clear today". But my bubble got burst as soon as I reached.
The security guard greeted me with a heart-sinking phrase: "Good morning, sir, you're working on a holiday?" With a heavy heart, I drove back home and decided to catch up on some sleep.
102. 60 Days
For many years, I worked for a company that suddenly let me go. My boss was a bit peculiar and had a habit of firing people unexpectedly. He usually offered an extended 60-day grace period for people to find new jobs, but there was a catch.
They'd have to sign a paper saying they were leaving the job on their own accord, forfeiting all unemployment benefits. When it was my turn, he offered me the same choice. I decided to decline because it seemed smarter to have the safety net of unemployment in case my job hunt took more than 60 days.
The company contested my unemployment claim, but my case was solid. I'd given them years of dedicated service, and the only missteps on my record were three instances of tardiness, each less than 15 minutes. At the unemployment hearing, I revealed the arrangement my boss had proposed—keeping my job by giving up my unemployment rights.
The judge informed me that such an offer was against the law and made a ruling in my favor. Receiving those weekly unemployment checks felt like little victories, all the way until I finally secured a new job.
