Coworker gets fired after calling in sick to audition for The Bachelor: 'Don't ever do anything that would embarrass [our] image'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
May 26, 2024 8:00 AM EDT

Every employee is entitled to use their set number of sick days for whatever reason they see fit, even if that reason is to audition for a very popular reality TV show. 

Sure, this is not exactly a morally justifiable excuse for calling in sick, but it is an iconic excuse. This employee recounted how their coworker not only called in sick to audition for The Bachelor but also how she didn't exactly cover it up very well. Their president's one big rule at the company was never to embarrass the organization's image, so one can imagine how the CEO reacted when the coworker's picture took up half the page of a popular newspaper's Lifestyle section following the audition.

Many folks in the comments section were understandably curious if the coworker ultimately ended up on the show. Unfortunately, it seems like Mae did not make it on in the end, so it doesn't seem like it was worth getting fired after all. Still, the story is amusing enough for us! For more content like this, take a look at this post about a Karen boss who refused to let her salaried employee use the break room.

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  • 01
    "Mae wasn't sick. She went to audition as a female candidate for The Bachelor"
    via Kelly Sikkema
  • 02
    A few years ago, a coworker got fired in a way that still makes me laugh. We used to work for a company whose president held company image in very high regard. In short, live your life, but don't ever do anything that would embarrass the image.
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 03
    The coworker, lets call her Mae, was an account manager for our largest client. Which is to say that she wasn't unrecognizable. The client was developed and nurtured through the presidents relationships. Mae was handed the client when she was hired.
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 04
    Mae called in sick one day. No big deal, people get sick. We were allowed paid sick days. However, Mae wasn't sick. She went to audition as a female candidate for The Bachelor. Again, whatever floats your boat. She would have gotten away with the deception except for the fact that she gave an interview complete with pictures to the local newspaper.
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 05
    Guess who's picture accompanied a half page article on the cover of the Lifestyle section the next day. Somebody hit the roof.
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 06
    • hissyfit64 18 hr. ago My brother got fired because of a reply all email. His company got purchased and new management were gutting departments. But they wanted to try and avoid paying severance so they were doing things like "transferring" positions to other states, changing the days/hours of positions, just nasty stuff.
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 07
    The new HR sent out a company email about an employee appreciation picnic/barbecue. My brother responded, "Yes, distract us from the fact you are us over with slow cooked meat". Everyone got the email
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 08
    SuitableJelly5149 15 hr. ago One of my old coworkers called out sick then gave an interview to a news station about a wreck that happened at the gas station they were buying beer from.... at 9am. Didn't even bother to set the 12-pack down
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 09
    thefuturesight1 · 16 hr. ago A family friend would drive 30 minutes to clock in at their job and then drive back home to screw their neighbor and then drive back to work to clock out. They wonder why they got fired
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 10
    • plotthick 11 hr. ago. edited 11 hr. ago I knew someone who was the unit assistant for a big pharmaceutical group's larger research unit. Chemistry, radiology, dissections, the whole shebang: big-time pharma research. He heard everything, kept track of everything. The contract said if you went beyond your trial period your pay went up $5 an hour, with bennies, so of course he was dropped: that was policy.
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 11
    On the last day he just sent an email to every email address he'd ever come in contact with -- internal and external. It named names, listed sins and illegalities, and documented violations. like not getting the people in Radiology the lead aprons they were requesting, and mocking them for wanting basic PPE. The email was poured over in detail during the Emergency Board Meeting. The head of that unit was forcibly let go,
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 12
    had to leave the country to get another position, and had to change specialties. I think he got a divorce too but I don't really remember. I know job hunting and moving during the Recession must have been rough. My friend had to change temp agencies, but he said it was totally worth it.
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 13
    WhatIsThis-ForAnts 12 hr. ago I once worked with a guy who threw down his apron and quit on the spot because our boss threatened to fire him if he didn't stop doing backflips in front of customers.
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 14
    DeeSussexBunion · 10 hr. ago I remember two (married to other people) coworkers calling off on the same day, only for a photo of them picnicking in the park to show up in our newspaper the next day.
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 15
    Shannogins115 - 3 hr. ago I worked at a sandwich shop 10 years ago and my shift lead and I were prepping the store to open. He told me he had had it and today was the day he was quitting. So at 10am when the store opened and the staff started coming in he rung up himself a sandwich that hand every single meat on it. Every ingredient. Extra mayo. As he took off his apron and walked out the door he flung up his sandwich into the ceiling fan
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 16
    pinkflower200 - 2 hr. ago Did "Mae" get chosen to be on The Bachelor?
    via u/pennylaneblack
  • 17
    O stickynotesandbl. 2 hr. ago The world 'Mae' never know...
    via u/pennylaneblack

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terrible coworkers workplace-stories fired work stories toxic-workplace job fired story work coworkers reddit thread Reddit company toxic-work-environment
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