Why I Got Fired- Silly Reasons Why People Were Let Go

Working in any job can be difficult, whether you’re working in corporate or even in the fast-food industry. It’s always challenging, no matter the situation because you have to navigate your way around people and make sure their needs are met. Sometimes it’s fantastic to try a new job to broaden your skillset but jumping into a new job is like hiking through unknown territory. You’ll have to read up on the job before, ask people who’ve worked there how their experience is, and also to manage your expectations. Jimmy Fallon asked people to send in their worst job experiences and moments they got fired using the hashtag #WhyIGotFired. Some stories are hilarious, while others are downright brutal. From messing up at a call center to slip-ups in restaurants, you’re sure to resonate with a few stories here.

Video Killed The Radio Star

One of the biggest pros of working in a video store is the number of movies you’re surrounded by. If you’re a movie buff, then working at a video store can be heaven for you. Doug and his pal got a little too comfortable at work and got some intense stares.

They reenacted one of the most classic movie scenes, but their audience did not receive the acting well. Instead of getting a standing ovation, he got the boot. Next time when reenacting a movie scene, it’s probably best to do it after working hours- at home.

Don’t Talk About Work Behind Work

If you’re talking about work behind people’s backs, it’s best not to do that. Especially when your company records phone calls and probably saves your chat log too for future learning purposes. Some companies don’t like it when you trash talk them or talk about a potential job elsewhere.

Leah called her coworker with exciting news about a better job for her out there, and her company was listening in on the convo the whole time. At work, there’s much less privacy for personal life, so it’s best to keep the two separated at all costs.

Deer in the Headlights

You know your plan has backfired when there are security cameras all around your building. Kimberlee thought she could outsmart her workplace when she used a different entrance to clock in. Unfortunately, her devious plan came to a halt.

It’s hard to fake your hours at work unless they’re pretty lenient with you and don’t care much about times. But Kimberlee forgot that her workplace also had cameras. Yikes! This is a recipe for disaster, and it makes sense why they fired her.

Side Order of Cuticles

When working in a restaurant, make sure that your hands are clean. Before workers enter restaurants, they must wash their hands. But who would’ve thought that their nails also needed to be paid attention to? There should be a strict ban on long fake nails in the workplace.

This lady got into a messy situation when one of her acrylics fell into an ice cream cone. That isn’t classy at all. It’s weird when you think you’ll be getting a mint chocolate chip with a side of nail extensions. This is downright gross!

Do The Math

When working as a cashier, you have to be careful with money. Each bill is counted as part of the restaurant’s profits. When you’re working with money, basic knowledge in math is recommended. Carrie decided instead to round up the bills. Whoopsy daisy!

This is not a math class; this is real money and guess who was short out of change? It’s a tough one, and we hope she’s been working on calculating more accurately. Working in a restaurant is both intimidating yet rewarding; just make sure you have the basic requirements down first.

It’s the Cat’s Fault I Swear!

Rikmik’s ol’ buddy got fired for claiming he couldn’t get out of a catty situation. We’ve all heard of excuses like: “the dog ate my homework.” But in this case, it was the “cat’s on my lap, and I don’t want to disturb it.” This makes perfect sense, though.

Cats are difficult animals to move, especially when they’re comfy in their own space. It’s best to let them be and not move them. But when it comes to working, you have to decide between the cat and the job. Looks like Rik’s buddy got dumped for picking the wrong one!

Mayo Master

To eat mayonnaise from a jar using your bare hands is one of the most hardcore things to do. A Wendy’s employee decided to stick her hand into a jar and eat away. Goodbye table manners! This is kind of strange, and maybe she should just stick to eating with her hands in the comfort and privacy of her own home.

Restaurants have to maintain a degree of cleanliness, and any action without gloves can increase germs. A messy restaurant can get closed down, and they can get a red flag not to open again. The manager was just keeping things according to code. Camela, eating is a no-no!

The Magical Ikea Closet

Ikea is a sweet place for hide and go seek. All the furniture is like a fortress that brings you to different lands. First, you pass through the land of sofas; then, you pass by the grassy hills of wooden tables. These friends decided to play their own fantasy game in Ikea.

There’s something about going to furniture stores that makes you feel child-like and carefree. These friends were so having so much fun that they played “Narnia.” The only problem is, their manager unexpectedly gatecrashed the event, and he wasn’t happy to see them fooling around.

Awkward Dinner

Tension at home is never appreciated and makes the air gray and foreboding. Talking things out calmly is recommended (if you can). Only problem is Michael’s dad wasn’t using his inside voice – and he couldn’t take it any longer. He did what he had to do.

Mom didn’t need to be yelled at, and he was right to defend her. It’s just strange when your father is also your boss, and you live with them. We hope they were able to have a bearable dinner even though it must have been super awkward.

Bomb’s Away

Cleaning ovens require a lot of attention and focus. You’re cleaning a sensitive place that emits heat and all sorts of accidents can happen. Just like leaving the gas lit on the stove! It’s important to take the necessary precautions. Jasper got into a semi-accident.

Instead of cleaning the oven cleaning fluid from the oven, he left it to fester, resulting in a chaotic exploding mess. Things caught on fire, doors blew up – the whole shebang! It’s time to pick up the scraps when things go wrong and put it down to experience- talk about learning something the hard way.

Corny Mistake

Corn fams are all sorts of fun! You can munch on tons of corn and go along on your merry little way – that’s until you get caught. But Amanda wasn’t like the other employees who got fired for eating on the job, she actually destroyed the food!

Who would’ve thought? She destroyed all the corn in the field and there was nothing she could do to fix the situation. She ran over dozens of corn oh my! Next time, when driving a tractor, it’s so important to make sure you’re on the right track, or else you’ll be pummeling too much!

A McNugget is all I Need

McNuggets are the best, whether you order 6 or the jumbo box, they never fail to satisfy. Bad day? Well, try McNuggets. This former McD’s employee abused his privileges and wanted to eat them as often as he could. This is not a look when you’re working in a restaurant.

Eating breaks are usually meant for contemplation and eating your lunch. This McD’s dude couldn’t wait cause the nuggets were calling his name. It’s worth it to put your appetite on the back burner when your job is at stake. We guess McNuggets are #1 on his list.

Signature Time

There comes the point in everyone’s life where they have the chance to get a signature from a famous celebrity who visits their workplace. Anita was in for a surprise when High School Musical’s Troy Bolton appeared in the restaurant she was working in.

Zac Efron is one of the most talented Disney stars, and he also grew up to be a fine-looking man. If Anita wanted the autograph, she should’ve been allowed to get one. Instead of abandoning her post, maybe she should’ve informed her manager of her actions. We still want to know though: did she get the autograph in the end?!

Anything for Glee

Back in 2005, when Glee started, it wasn’t readily available for streaming. You had to switch on your TV and watch it at the same time every week – just like Rachel here. She loved Glee so much she even jeopardized her job to watch it.

Now in 2020, we can stream almost any movie or tv show at any time, and back in the day, it wasn’t possible. Hence having to make sure you’re glued to the TV when it airs. We get why she left the job; sometimes, watching teens work their way through difficult moments, stereotypes, and breakups helps us to grow ourselves as individuals. Now, if only  William McKinley High School were real..

Dog Distracted

Lauren was a little distracted at work when the company doggo pranced on by. Having dogs at the office is considered a huge stress reliever, and often, people will admit to being better workers when there’s a dog at work.

When sitting down at your desk it can be tiring to sit in the same position for hours on end. Lauren wanted to play with the company dog but the only problem was – she was doing it way too much! The company fired her for being too affectionate, how cold of them!

Just Wanted the Candy

Amusement parks are great for visiting when you want to ride on a roller coaster or just have a good time with your friends, what isn’t cool though is working there with all the rules and regulations you have to follow.

Syd simply wanted to pick up a fallen piece of rock candy, but could she do it? Not without being reprimanded. The security had to escort her out because of the dirty looks people were giving her for eating off the floor. Next time, keep in mind that the five-second rule doesn’t apply at work!

Be Mindful of Branding

Branding is what separates multiple products from one another. If you’re a big fan of branding, make sure you don’t support two brands that clash. That can cause major disappointments from both sides. There’s a reason why brands have competitors.

Roger went to his first day of work and brought a Starbucks cup with him. Shouldn’t be anything wrong with that, right? Well, wrong. He brought the wrong brand of cup to work, and now he’s booted from work. Dunkin Donuts isn’t a fan of Starbucks. Should’ve thought twice about that.

Overworking Ain’t Easy

Sometimes, overworking isn’t a great idea. Especially when other people in the office aren’t working as hard as you. Sometimes when you’re focusing too hard on the computer screen in front of you, you tend to forget the world around you. Candace’s brother is one of those people.

He got beef for working too hard at Boeing. Boeing is a high-stress environment because they’re an aerospace company. People need to be flying and making the most out of their time, and there are people in the backend holding everything together. Candace’s brother ended up working a little too much, though.

Ice Cream Heaven

Who doesn’t love ice cream? There’s so much to love it for. It’s tasty, sweet, and it fulfills our lives. The sugar rush is also one of the best feelings. If we were Cassie and working at Dairy Queen, we would’ve probably done the same thing she did.

She scarfed the ice cream since they mentioned that she could eat as much as she could. The only problem is, she got too carried away with the ice cream and ended up biting more than she expected. The trade-off was pretty bad and cost her her job.

Clean up on Aisle 6

Closing shifts are a bit of a hassle, especially when you’re working until the wee hours of the morning. Sarah is the perfect example of someone who’s worked too much and was exhausted by her job. She forgot to do a small task, and the ending was catastrophic.

Working with ice cream is pretty sensitive because you need to make sure it won’t melt and that the whole thing stays stored at the exact correct temperature. She accidentally turned the freezer off, and so the ice cream was left melting the entire night. What a waste!

Just Get Me on Jimmy Fallon

Arguing with your boss is not wise at any time, and especially when you know that they’re going to win the argument. After all, they’re your boss; you’re obligated to let them win. It looks like Luke’s prayers got answered, and he ended up on the show!

…but for a bad reason. Too bad he got fired for arguing with his boss for the right hashtag to use for Jimmy Fallon. Next time, he should trust his intuition when it comes to these kinds of things. He hit two birds with one stone – which probably wasn’t what he was aiming for!

Cinnabon Break

“Hey boss, I’m about to go on a Cinnabon break. Oops, I mean bathroom break.” Queen’s excuse backfired when her coworkers ratted her out. She didn’t get off the hook too quickly, and instead of suspending her temporarily, they completely let her go.

In no way is Queen’s job easy, she probably spends hours at her desk contemplating life and all that goes with it. So for once, she decided to go on a Cinnabon break, and at the same time she decided to do it, she got called out!

Climbing up the Ladder

Jobs are all about climbing up the ladder and reaching a particular goal. When you’re in a company where there’s not much room for growth, then you’re probably in the wrong place. That doesn’t mean that it didn’t serve you; it just didn’t fit you.

Michael worked as a waiter at some point in his life and moved on to do better and brighter things. When he contemplated his past, he remembered his ex-manager and realized that he was still in the same workplace. It’s always important to get out of your comfort zone, and Michael proves that you’ll get great results if you do.

I Didn’t See That

Seeing your boss in an intimate situation is something you’d like to unsee right away. It’s way too weird and doesn’t do anyone any good to stare at them. Jet accidentally saw his boss and the secretary together in an intimate way, and he was shocked.

Usually, people in the higher-ups of the workplace are the ones implementing the rules, so to break them sounds straight-up weird. The thing is, bosses are humans too and have their desires. He just caught his boss in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Pepper Catastrophe

Inhaling pepper is such an annoying feeling! Sometimes it’s great when it’s in food, and you want to inhale a bit of the spice. But to annoy other people with it, is a different story. T. Miller was bored at work and decided to pull a big joke in the office.

Everyone was sneezing as a result of him throwing a giant pepper into the fan. That’s so not cool! What if someone had a severe pepper allergy? We’d advise against this, and it’s no shocker he got fired. We hope he’s matured since then and doesn’t throw pepper into people’s faces.

Dunkin Don’t

Working at Dunkin’ Donuts has got to be one of the funniest jobs, right? Not only do you get to make the doughnuts, but you can also eat them too. Megan Mary Fox did the right thing when she took the leftover bagels they would throw out each day.

Whether if it was for medical reasons or just because she wanted to crack a joke with her manager, Megan wins at this job. She didn’t get fired for doing anything wrong, but maybe her boss wasn’t the punny type of guy. At least she managed to get a few tasty treats as consolation.

Didn’t Do It

What’s worse than being the victim of mistaken identity? Nothing really. Alex got fired after his coworkers and boss thought that he was the one who wrote something nasty about his boss in the New York Times. Come on; people always check the authors first!

This was clearly a misunderstanding, and we hope that Alex got the second chance he deserved. Before being accused of his crime which he didn’t commit. Some people are just at the wrong place at the wrong time and this is one of those times! It wasn’t his fault.

Broken Glass

Working in a bar is pretty stressful and can require a tremendous amount of work. Not only do you have to be independent, but you also have to be mindful of the customers around you. It’s a job that takes an insane amount of multi-tasking.

If you’re not on top of your game, you can get fired pretty quickly. Susan defied her manager’s wishes by not serving soups that contained pieces of broken glass jars. Good on her for thinking about the customers and their wellbeing! We don’t think her boss’s request should have been followed either. Someone call the health department ASAP.

I’ll Have a Rum and Coke

When going to the bar, it’s normal to ask for a drink that the bartender should know how to make. There’s a plethora of drinks to choose from, , mojitos, cocktails and more. Being a bartender means that you need to know all the ingredients that go into a dirty martini at the very least.

Meesha jumped into the job, thinking that she could just pop open a few beers and serve them to the customers. Unfortunately, being a bartender means that she needs to come up with many different recipes. Only con is she didn’t know how to make a rum and coke. The name speaks for itself, and maybe she should’ve taken a gander at trying to make it.

No Love for Smeagol

If you’ve seen Lord of the Rings, you’d know that Smeagol was the weird-looking goblin that was obsessed with the ring. Some people can imitate his voice, which is a god-given gift. Katy was one of those people, but her coworkers did not appreciate her efforts.

Sometimes you just can’t please everyone, and Katy didn’t impress her coworkers at all. Either they weren’t LOTR fans, or they just were too busy fiddling away at work. At work, sometimes you need to loosen up, or you’ll start drowning under the workload.

Lazy Dad

This was an embarrassing moment where Micha’s dad was told that he wasn’t an adequate worker. What does one do in this kind of situation? There’s nothing else to do but to stare at them and question yourself. Couldn’t his boss have spoken to him in a nicer way?

This was a little too straightforward but sometimes being brutally honest is better than not. This was the storm before the calm, and he had to get fired to realize his true worth. If your boss is calling you lazy, it clearly isn’t a good sign, and it’s better to have a manager who motivates you instead of puts you down.

Spellcheck

This is why when you’re writing, you need to double, if not triple check your work. Sometimes, things can take a turn for the worse, especially when your spelling is wrong. This guy spent his whole afternoon painting a sign but only later realized he was doing it wrong.

When painting words, always make sure to double-check because sometimes you can’t go over it. Poor guy had to redo the work after he made a mistake – but hey at least he could fix it. Whenever there’s a problem, there’s always a solution.

No Field-trips Allowed

Substitute teachers are sometimes the best; they can be as great as your regular teacher. They help you through hard times and make sure you’re on the right track. Unfortunately, this substitute teacher got too comfortable in her position.

Field trips are usually fantastic when you plan them correctly. What isn’t awesome is when the school disallows it, yet you do it anyway. Kerri’s intentions were pure, but the school wasn’t able to see that. Unfortunately, she was booted for misconduct and for considering retail therapy to be part of the curriculum

Mind Over Money

Keeping cash and claiming it was a wedding gift is a huge no-no. Ryan worked with a bunch of people on a ranch and they sold cattle. The only thing was they got booted for keeping the cash when they claimed to have received $40,000 worth of wedding gifts. It was a really lame excuse.

Money and work usually go together, and it’s important to account for all monies that arent yours. This tweet has got to be one of the weirdest ones out there, and it’s certainly in our top strangest #WhyIGotFired tweets.

Stay Cool Man

Working at Dairy Queen is one of the best jobs out there right? No, it isn’t, it also has its pros and cons. Susan’s daughter was one of the unlucky ones who got called out for her inefficiency at work. Just because she was slow at preparing orders, she got fired.

Shouldn’t they have more leeway for people who are trying to learn the ropes? We think she should’ve gotten at least a second chance. After all, the first few months of the job are always stressful and draining. Well, at least there’s a lesson learned after every failed job.

Misbehaviours

Working in a company means that you have to be on your best behavior because if you aren’t, then you can quickly be fired. Caroline was doing the opposite of being a good employee and was the instigator of a series of mischievous and unprofessional actions.

She was a lifeguard for one of her jobs, but she did everything to be fired. She didn’t rescue an adult who fell, she didn’t follow the 5-second rule, and even gave her customers leftovers. This kind of attitude of work deserves a firing! We hope Caroline was able to realize her shortcomings and grow from them.

Back From the Dead

A refrigerated drawer in the morgue is one of the creepiest things you can see. Glen’s buddy decided to play with the students working in the morgue – only to have the tables turned on him. Lo and behold, his friend screamed and fainted when the dead came back to haunt him.

Not literally, but someone also had the bright idea of scaring someone in the morgue. This was surprisingly unexpected, especially since Glen’s friend had no idea. Maybe next time he decided to scare people, he’ll think twice about it.

Excuses Excuses

Making excuses for work is an art, and not everyone is capable of it. Luckily, Lisa’s dad is a master of the craft, and he told his boss that he couldn’t attend since he had to take care of pressing issues, such as his eyes. The thing is, that was a fat lie.

He wasn’t able to get out of it without adding details, and instead, his manager decided to not let him off the hook. At least he was able to share how he felt before getting fired. His eyes were clearly not the problem, but he wanted to give it his best shot to make an excuse – and it landed him on the doorstep of his job. Not in a good way.

Naps > Work

Naps are the definition of happiness. A burst of energy, while you’re at work, is always important. Just, don’t let the manager see you snoozing away. Jenny’s manager caught her sneaking in some Zs when she was tired and bored.

We recommend that when you’re bored at work and tried not to close your eyes. Get up, walk around. Even step outside of the office if you need to. Drink a big glass of water or make some coffee. You’re not being paid to sleep, but you can take a break when necessary.

Back in the Day..

Back in 1979, Francesca was fired for a worthy reason. She wanted to watch The Who live, and who wouldn’t? This era was the pinnacle of ear-shattering music that also shook our words with their one-of-a-kind lyrics. Despite her boss saying no, she took matters into her own hands.

There’s something triumphant and glorious about not going to work and pursuing your dreams. A concert is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, especially when it’s your favorite band playing. Good on Francesca, for choosing dope music over a job!

Clicking Freely

Clicking pens can be super annoying for some people. The incessant clicking can be distracting and also a sign of anxiety in some people. Joanne’s hubby fired her at a staff meeting. Is that inside family lingo? Do the husband and wife own the same company?

Poor wifey wasn’t only fired, so was the secretary. We assume the meeting was an awkward one and the pen clicking only intensified the strange situation. Life can sometimes bring you to strange places and sometimes it’s just better to roll with the punches.

Underage Disaster

21 years is the appropriate drinking age and some people try to bypass the rules thinking that they can. Sometimes you make it out with a drink in hand and other times you’re getting kicked out the door. Braley wasn’t only a willing customer, she was also a willing employee.

One night, she and her boyfriend thought it’d be nice to get discounts at her workplace. Lo and behold, her manager was there to tell them off. In no way is it good to fight your boss on this topic so she just walked away, right out of her career.

Is This Seat Taken?

Bumping into your boss outside of work isn’t that common and usually, the encounter can get really weird. But what if you’re trying to escape your boss in the first place? That’s when you know you’re in a tricky situation when you can’t get out.

Kath snuck out of work during her shift to watch a movie. Her motives for doing it? Well, it must have been a really darn good movie. Problem is, her boss also had the bright idea of going. The chances are rare but when they happen you’ll want to make sure you have your mask on in the theatre to hide from your boss.