What is the Pettiest Thing You've Seen Someone Fired For?

1. I used to work at a Chili's restaurant and we used to have to roll silverware after each shift. 50 silverware rolled in napkins. No one liked to do it. Well one day all of the servers got called into the dry storage area. The manager had found a tray of silverware that someone had hidden so we wouldn't have to roll any. I forget what the ultimatum was but the manager was going to take it out on all of us if someone didn't confess. Finally one guy stepped forward. I still don't think he did it but he took the blame and was promptly fired.
   — Extrasherman


2. My old boss, on a conference call, was asked if he had any thoughts on the direction the company was headed. He gave his honest opinion and was fired on the spot for being too negative. He was loved by his employees, and a bunch of them quit as a show of support, including shift managers and kitchen staff. This all happened after I'd already left, but I went back for a visit and heard the news from the few stragglers remaining.
   — bagelpusher


3. Oh, I have another one , this was a buddy of mine. Incredibly talented software developer, but a bit of a joker. My boss, who was way too serious, did not like him too much because of that. So, we have been asking for a few months for a code repository, because we had to work with shared folders and, as any developer will tell you, that is an absolutely garbage idea. Before a particular part of the project, this buddy of mine took him upon himself to create and configure the repository on a machine that we used for backup. It took him about an hour, which was on his lunch time, not on company time, and from then on, we had a proper development environment with SVN. He was fired for insubordination. For doing something beneficial to the company and crucial to the project. On his own time.
   — LGMHorus






4. I saw someone get fired because they had alcohol at work. It was a gift from a vendor and they just had it in their drawer still sealed. All our sales team would receive wine, beer, liquor as gifts from vendors and some had it displayed in their office. Obviously they just didn't like this person.
   — quimby15


5. My friend got fired after 4 days because he couldn't get the VCR working so his bosses kid could watch a movie in her office.
   — skimone


6. Two girls on the very low end of the totem pole. Like "not even making a living wage" servicing positions. One is a spiteful bitch who barely does her job and takes too many days off, we'll call her Tiffany. One is a really sweet hard worker, we'll call her Mary. Tiffany and her best friend co-worker Stefanie are constantly talking shit about Mary, causing drama that keeps trickling up to middle management. One day, Mary is in the bathroom in a stall and overhears the other two talking shit about her behind her back again. She ends up in her managers office in tears, it goes up the ladder to the owners. The owners decide that this needs to stop, and the best way to do that... They fire Mary.
   — ffxivthrowaway03






7. About 14 years ago, I was working at a local grocery chain when I joined the military. I worked there while awaiting processing. The manager of grocery store had printed the schedule for the week, and I had just gotten my MEPS information and it conflicted with my scheduled time to work. I informed the manager that I couldn't come in as I was going to take my test, do my physical and swear in. So after I came home from that two day ordeal, I had a message on my answering machine that I was fired for failing to show up. Fortunately for me, my recruiter was amazing, called him up and reamed his ass out.
   — keluvsorangesoda


8. Working in the hell known as a "call center" in West Mifflin, PA: Saw one woman working, not feeling well, had no time left, so couldn't call off. Within a few hours, she had used up all of her allotted 'break time" (15 minutes), and her supervisor wouldn't permit her to leave the floor for the bathroom again, so she threw up - all over her computer. She was fired for "Destruction of Company Property." TRUE STORY.
   — casualLogic


9. Guy got fired bc he finally got his degree in engineering and wanted more responsibility (and pay). Managers threw him in a role purposely built for him to fail without support and training. They gave him neither. Fired Him when shit spiraled out of control. Caused a rift between the team and management. Over half of the team left within a year (Including Me).
   — XIGRIMxREAPERIX






10. One of my co-workers went on vacation and her flight back was delayed, making her late for work when she eventually got back. They essentially forced her to put in her two weeks on the spot. A week later when she was too upset to go to her "goodbye lunch" held by her boss, she was told that day was her last day for "not being a team player".
    — Swell-Fellow


11. I actually was fired yesterday from my pizzeria after 5 years because I asked for two days off for a family event, and a surprise day with my girlfriend (obviously just said family event). I came back every summer from school and they would ask me if i could come back and help, I always did because I love the customers. After I was told no, I ended up trying to switch with someone else, like we normally would do. My boss found out, didnt like it, and fired me after 5 years. Kinda dumbfounded to be honest.
    — CantBeLikeMike