Getting fired isn't pleasant, but it's a pretty normal occurrence. Chances are, many of us have or will experience it at some point in our lives. Researchers estimate that 40% of Americans experience involuntary job loss. At the same time, the annual layoff and discharge rates in the U.S. have been steady since 2020 – around 1.0%-1.1%.
However, some folks manage to get sacked before they're even through the door. It's a talent in and of itself, but probably not one they should be proud of. Still, these situations come with pretty amusing stories, and Bored Panda is bringing you the most entertaining ones from a recent online thread where one netizen asked: "What's the quickest amount of time in all of your jobs in which you've seen or heard that a new coworker got canned, and what was it for?"
#21
We had a guy steal a phone from the safe in the cell phone store on his first day there. He thought he was being all slick but he was on camera. Also we had daily inventory counts so it's not like an $800 phone wouldn't be missed.
Report
30points
#22
4 hours. Worked at a factory, 3 shift job. Supervisor was showing him our department and told him something like "...and here's the vending machine if you need something to eat during the nights"
Guy stares angrily at supervisor and says "I ain't working no nights"
He didn't read the contract he signed, or really paid attention to the job posting, ooooor the interview. It was hilarious to watch.
Guy stares angrily at supervisor and says "I ain't working no nights"
He didn't read the contract he signed, or really paid attention to the job posting, ooooor the interview. It was hilarious to watch.
Report
30points
#23
A new hire was pulled by AP and subsequently fired within 30 minutes of their 1st selling shift after being observed stuffing money from the register into their pockets.
Report
29points
#24
It was me, and it was while I was filling out tax forms during new hire process. They wanted me to fill out my name in a way that was incorrect (thus making it NOT my name), and I knew would be a pain come tax time to correct. I told her she was wrong, she said this doesn’t seem like a good fit, I said yeah obviously, and left.
Bummer because I was really looking forward to that menu discount.
Bummer because I was really looking forward to that menu discount.
Report
29points
#25
This doesn't answer the question EXACTLY, but it's still a wild story.
While in college, I got hired to work the front desk of a local gym. Check in members, hand out towels, make protein shakes, etc. Not rocket surgery.
Shortly after I started my first day, the woman who hired me was fired. Maybe 10 minutes later, I was informed by the owner of the gym that the fired woman (manager of some kind) was never given the green light by the owner to hire anyone and was let go.
Also, today is my last day.
I was there like 3 hours and fired because someone else's mistake.
While in college, I got hired to work the front desk of a local gym. Check in members, hand out towels, make protein shakes, etc. Not rocket surgery.
Shortly after I started my first day, the woman who hired me was fired. Maybe 10 minutes later, I was informed by the owner of the gym that the fired woman (manager of some kind) was never given the green light by the owner to hire anyone and was let go.
Also, today is my last day.
I was there like 3 hours and fired because someone else's mistake.
Report
29points
#26
About 2 hours. The supervisor came in late for some reason and ended up working next to her without properly introducing herself. New woman starts mouthing off about how much she already hates the job and how soon she plans on leaving. Supervisor tells her she can leave right now as we don’t need that kind of attitude.
Report
28points
#27
Had someone last half a day in the auto industry as a service advisor. He said he had already had 2 heart attacks and this place wasn't going to be the cause of his 3rd.
Report
27points
#28
1 full day at an office job. He made it thru the initial half-day of paperwork. Next day he was in an orientation meeting before noon and fell asleep. He was drunk af.
Report
27points
#29
2 days. This was back in the 1990s before cell phones. He went to a root canal appointment close by and walked there. His nice manager thought “Oh, I bet he needs a ride home due to anesthesia . I’ll call the dentist office so they relay the message.”
Dentist office said, “there’s no one here by that name.”
Turned out he went to a movie.
Dentist office said, “there’s no one here by that name.”
Turned out he went to a movie.
Report
27points
#30
Less than 10 minutes. Said they had reach truck training… nearly tipped the reach truck on the test track.
Report
25points
#31
I used to work at a daycare. Girl got hired and came into my room to train at nap time. After I got the kids asleep and started explaining what we did during nap. She asked if we could use our phones. I said no, we use this time to clean our rooms and catch up on lesson plans etc. she got pulled out to help someone else but found out she quit because she couldn’t use her phone during nap time. 🤣.
Report
24points
#32
First week! We work in a food processing plant. This fool was on an upper level and decided he needed to pee. Walking downstairs is hard so why not use a drain right? The operator caught him and turned him in. The new guy lied and said I didn't pee, I spit in the drain. He was fired because there's no spitting in a food processing plant.
Report
22points
#33
Under 24hrs, though he was practically out the door after 5hrs.
We had a job for him to do at the other end of the country, so arranged flights etc, he came in for induction at 1pm, taxi to the airport at 3pm, confirmed arrived at 4pm from the taxi company.
He called his new Manager at 6pm to say the flight had left "early" so he'd missed it. He then emailed Admin at 7pm asking them to book him a new flight the next day and he got our taxi firm to take him back home.
Manager said don't bother - turn up to head office tomorrow. He turned up an hour after starting time, then spent an hour hiding in an office.
We still can't work out how you turn up to the airport 2hours in advance and still miss the flight (small airport). The flight flew late too, so that excuse was BS.
We had a job for him to do at the other end of the country, so arranged flights etc, he came in for induction at 1pm, taxi to the airport at 3pm, confirmed arrived at 4pm from the taxi company.
He called his new Manager at 6pm to say the flight had left "early" so he'd missed it. He then emailed Admin at 7pm asking them to book him a new flight the next day and he got our taxi firm to take him back home.
Manager said don't bother - turn up to head office tomorrow. He turned up an hour after starting time, then spent an hour hiding in an office.
We still can't work out how you turn up to the airport 2hours in advance and still miss the flight (small airport). The flight flew late too, so that excuse was BS.
Report
22points
#34
About 4 days. I worked in a hair salon that hired a new stylist that was fresh out of prison. She had completed a cosmetology program in prison and was licensed when she got released. Cool, people should get a second chance after completing their sentence. All the hairspray was disappearing quickly and she was acting weird. Turns out she was huffing it in the bathroom. The owner fired her and told her parole officer. Idk what happened to her after that, but I hope she got it together and got to stay out of prison.
Report
22points
#35
I had a woman come in, sit down with my boss, and promptly talk herself out of the job.
Her whole demeanor was “you don’t have to tell me what to do, I can put these guys in their place…” But that’s not how it works here.
After her first comment, my boss looked at me and I knew. Thankfully, we had a 3 month period where we hire a temp, but shift them into a full time position at the end of three months.
After she left, my boss just looked at me and said, “No.”.
Her whole demeanor was “you don’t have to tell me what to do, I can put these guys in their place…” But that’s not how it works here.
After her first comment, my boss looked at me and I knew. Thankfully, we had a 3 month period where we hire a temp, but shift them into a full time position at the end of three months.
After she left, my boss just looked at me and said, “No.”.
Report
21points
#36
About a week. She showed up 30 minutes late every day with Starbucks. Truly a bold move, but did not pay off.
Report
21points
#37
10 minutes. A group of new hires came in and were in the smoking area, plant manager went out to talk to them and they all had a cig and then he asked them how the night went and they said they were day shift. Fired for not being on the production floor at start of shift.
Report
20points
#38
Not officially fired, but we had someone last about 4 hours.
Secretary had been in another department for over 20 years. She was moved to our department so she could work under more supervision than she had at the other department. She came in the first morning looking like she'd sucked on a bag of lemons. She went to lunch and promptly went to HR and resigned.
She was the only secretary in the other department and had little oversight. I filled in for her a few times, but actually did the work I was assigned. She wanted to do her own thing.
When I filled in for her the first time, I couldn't work until I scrubbed down her desk and computer area as there was dried food, Cheeto dust CAKED on her keyboard. It was so nasty!
Secretary had been in another department for over 20 years. She was moved to our department so she could work under more supervision than she had at the other department. She came in the first morning looking like she'd sucked on a bag of lemons. She went to lunch and promptly went to HR and resigned.
She was the only secretary in the other department and had little oversight. I filled in for her a few times, but actually did the work I was assigned. She wanted to do her own thing.
When I filled in for her the first time, I couldn't work until I scrubbed down her desk and computer area as there was dried food, Cheeto dust CAKED on her keyboard. It was so nasty!
Report
19points
#39
New hire taken around the office, introduced to everyone. Sat her down at her new desk with onboarding paperwork to complete. Office manager goes back about 30 minutes later, chick is sacked out snoring, head on desk, drool on blotter. They actually dithered for a while about whether to wake her up, or to just let her sleep.
Report
19points
#40
I got hired alongside a girl we'll call Emma. I was on break with her and she started ranting about how large corporations are corrupt (I agree completely but I wasn't about to go off when there was another more senior employee in the room cause I needed this job badly.)
The other employee leaves the room, and the manager is in there in a few seconds flat, telling Emma to get out of here and how dare she disrespect the company like that ect ect. Completely goes off like a mad woman on Emma who just shrugs and leaves.
Manager than goes "I'm so sorry you had to deal with her don't worry she won't be back here at x company we don't tolerate that sort of slander." Hugs me (very uncomfortable) then proceeds to go on a 6 month break, I don't see her again until she's back and absolutely destroying team morale around Christmas. Wild times.
The other employee leaves the room, and the manager is in there in a few seconds flat, telling Emma to get out of here and how dare she disrespect the company like that ect ect. Completely goes off like a mad woman on Emma who just shrugs and leaves.
Manager than goes "I'm so sorry you had to deal with her don't worry she won't be back here at x company we don't tolerate that sort of slander." Hugs me (very uncomfortable) then proceeds to go on a 6 month break, I don't see her again until she's back and absolutely destroying team morale around Christmas. Wild times.
Report
19points
