Worker steals manager's chair after coworker is fired for sitting: 'I shipped their office chair away'

For some inexplicable reason, basic comforts are considered to stand in opposition to efficiency—if you're uncomfortable, you'll work harder being the deeply flawed logic at play. If there's a comfort that can be denied… you bet it will be, all in the name of bigger bonuses for the executives and higher returns for shareholders. There seems to be a societal impression that customers will think someone who is comfortable won't offer good service, which is a complete farce. One can't help but wonder if that is a cultural hangover from when it was more common for higher-class families to have actual servants.

Like what you see? Follow our WhatsApp channel for more.

Author image for Brad Dickson Brad Dickson
Advertisement

  • There's a reason why things like fatigue mats are becoming a legal requirement in retail and service jobs—or any job where workers are required to stand for their entire shift. Not only are they important for reducing slipping hazards, but they also play an important role in ensuring workers don't sustain injuries from standing on concrete for 8 hours straight a day and 40 or more hours a week.

    Without even getting into the dystopian horror of having to return to work whilst still recovering from surgery, it's wild that the distrust and determination to cling to petty rules runs so deep that these managers are willing to ignore any shred of empathy or sense of reason. At least this worker was willing to stand up for their coworker and make a point about doing the right thing…

  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 9868351744
    via Christina @ wocintechchat.com
  • Advertisement
  • 02
    Posted by u/TheRealGageEndal 10 hours ago CoWorker Fired For Sitting Way back in the late 1900s I worked for a large grocery chain that goes by several names depending on what part of the country you are in. We had a cashier who had surgery about three weeks earlier and he had a hard time standing for a long time, so he did the obvious thing and brought in a stool to rest on while he worked. The manager said he couldn't have a stool and would need to get rid of it because the company policy said
    via u/TheRealGageEndal
  • 03
    The cashier tried and failed to finish his shift and ended up leaving early. He did this a couple times and was eventually fired for poor work performance. Cue MC Now I worked as a night crew stocker which means I unload the truck, load up the gobacks, and stock the aisles. I also took out all of the trash for the admin offices. While I was cleaning the offices I removed every chair I could find and loaded them into the gobacks truck. I also printed out a letter in bold wording to the effect of.
    via u/TheRealGageEndal
  • 04
    No one knew it was me because we were (always) short staffed and I usually loaded the gobacks truck myself. The next night the manager came in and exploded at the disrespect and yadda yadda yadda. He ordered a new chair, but it didn't arrive for a couple days (and no new chairs came to replace the others, just his). So I shipped it back again. This time they caught me the next day, but his chair was already gone. I was fired and they were threatening me with petty theft and whatnot, but since I
    via u/TheRealGageEndal
  • Advertisement
  • 05
    One of my friends said that the chairs were all returned a couple nights later and everything went back to normal. Aww man... Now that I write this out there wasn't a happy ending. TLDR: manager fired someone for sitting at work so I shipped their office chair away out of spite.
    via u/TheRealGageEndal
  • 06
    idreaminwords · 9 hr. ago Way back in the late 1900s I'm going back to bed 581 Reply Share ●●● utterlyuncool 9 hr. ago Now, that was just of OP ↑ 175 + Reply Share
    via u/TheRealGageEndal
  • 07
    SheWho LovesToDraw 9 hr. ago Only in America can people get away with firing someone for sitting while they are actively sitting and filing the paperwork for the ridiculous termination. 118 Reply Share HolaItsEd 7 hr. ago I know it said 90s, but this seems like a lawsuit in the making. It would be a reasonable accommodation based on the situation and if he was able to continue to do his work while sitting. 21 Reply Share
    via u/TheRealGageEndal
  • Advertisement
  • 08
    CoderJoe19 hr. ago You didn't change the world or get your coworker's job back, but what you did was still a very human and beautiful thing. Keep tilting at windmills, my friend. Reply Share 176 FPVenius 1 hr. ago Love the reference. 2 ↓ Reply Share ●●●
    via u/TheRealGageEndal
  • 09
    Red EdSpaghetti - 9 hr. ago they didn't really have a leg to stand on Or a chair to sit on! ;P 53 Reply Share DynkoFrom The North 9 hr. ago . Which means they were flopping around on the floor...? 63 Reply Share
    via u/TheRealGageEndal
  • 10
    IndependenceNo2060 - 9 hr. ago You're a hero in my book. Standing up for workers' rights is always important, even in small ways. 38 I_Arman 9 hr. ago Reply Share . 14 ●●● Might as well, can't sit for workers rights, it seems Reply Share ●●●
    via u/TheRealGageEndal
  • Advertisement
  • 11
    sixmonthsin 9 hr. ago This is actually one of the best because you showed how ridiculous and unfair their policy was. I tip my hat to you. 430 Reply Share
    via u/TheRealGageEndal

Stay up to date by following us on Facebook!

Tags

workplace discussion employment issues antiwork workplace-stories jobs fired employment-discussion job retail work coworkers workplace Horrible Bosses coworker employment in the workplace
Scroll down for the next article

Also From FAIL Blog

Trending Now

Parents deny 13-year-old daughter the right to go to private school because she isn't good at STEM like her 15-year-old sister is: 'We are not going to be sending her there'

Parents deny 13-year-old daughter the right to go to private school because she isn't good at STEM like her 15-year-old sister is: 'We are not going to be sending her there'

01
Parents refuse to let 17-year-old go on school Marine Biology trip after telling her to refuse $45 "handout" for the fee from her teacher: 'They have been calling me ungrateful and spoiled'

Parents refuse to let 17-year-old go on school Marine Biology trip after telling her to refuse $45 "handout" for the fee from her teacher: 'They have been calling me ungrateful and spoiled'

02
Wealthy aunt tells sister-in-law-to-be that her 6 and 8-year-old step-niblings will never see a dime of their family money after she complains about her prenup: 'She said we are greedy and cruel to [her] kids'

Wealthy aunt tells sister-in-law-to-be that her 6 and 8-year-old step-niblings will never see a dime of their family money after she complains about her prenup: 'She said we are greedy and cruel to [her] kids'

03
Employee gets scolded after one day of failing to meet daily quota, despite years of overperforming, leading employee to do only the bare minimum until quitting: ‘They lost me as an overachiever’

Employee gets scolded after one day of failing to meet daily quota, despite years of overperforming, leading employee to do only the bare minimum until quitting: ‘They lost me as an overachiever’

04
Customer finds loophole in store's return policy, maliciously complies to get on the entitled manager's nerves: 'You stepped out of the store, you don't get a refund'

Customer finds loophole in store's return policy, maliciously complies to get on the entitled manager's nerves: 'You stepped out of the store, you don't get a refund'

05
'She knows I'm jobless': Former employee gets rejected from ex-boss, then asked to donate to company fundraising event

'She knows I'm jobless': Former employee gets rejected from ex-boss, then asked to donate to company fundraising event

06
Advertisement