'They asked if I was ok with a few days of "unpaid training"': 20+ Employees who quit their new jobs as quickly as possible

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jun 4, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

These employees couldn't leave their jobs fast enough after discovering that their new gig was toxic. They did exactly the right thing: why stay at a job where you're unhappy if you can find employment elsewhere? 

Of course, it's never that simple. After spending all that time and energy finding the job, interviewing 2 or 3 times, and reading your contract to accept the position, you never want to start that all over again. Some workers just had no choice, though. One restaurant worker started a gig, only to realize they couldn't put up with the establishment's rampant rat problem. Another person discovered they would be expected to work crazy hours — 17-hour days! — after their coworkers clued them in. With jobs like that, you just have 0 choice but to scrap it all and start over. 

After that, read about some newlyweds whose weddings went so poorly they're certain to divorce, like one person who shared that "When the 'I do's' came, the groom said, 'I guess.'"

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  • 01

    "What was the tipping point that made you leave your job on the first day?"

    Green-Krush · Interviewed for a barista position. Showed up the first day, and they asked if I was ok with a few days of "unpaid training", which I know that they knew was illegal. I said no.
    via u/Green-Krush
  • 02
    jimicus Not quite the first day, but I'd been promised a quite generous pension scheme as part of the overall package. Induction day comes along and the pension scheme is described. And it's not generous at all - in fact, it's the legal minimum.
    via u/jimicus
  • 03
    I made every effort to address this, but they were quite clear: that's the rules, sorry you were misinformed, take it or leave it. They were astonished when I chose "leave it".
    via u/jimicus
  • 04
    misslady420 I worked for a bread factory that put me on the first shift, within the first 10 minutes of being there an employee asked me if HR had told me they have been forced to work 17-hour days. Most of the employees were single moms, one employee told me about her struggles with child care. She wanted to
    via u/misslady420
  • 05
    leave so badly but it was the first time she had health insurance. She lifted up her shirt and showed me a big hernia she needed to get taken care of. It felt like prison, I left and never came back at lunch.
    via u/misslady420
  • 06
    Cheezburger Image 10513201152
    via DDP for Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 07
    Due_Purchase_7... Went to the first day of training and realized it was a MLM. Stayed for the lunch they provided and then dipped.
    via u/Due_Purchase_7509
  • 08
    Mediocre-Food-... So, it turns out this "company" wasn't even legit ―they weren't registered and had no license. They even threatened to make us pay if we quit during the 60- day training period. Fast forward a few months, and they were shut down.
    via u/Mediocre-Food-2292
  • 09
    Traditional Tackle1 I took a job doing warranty support for computers bought at Best Buy. My first day of training I was gone 12 hours and at least half of that time was driving. I was expected to drive my own car and no benefits. I didn't go back the next day
    via u/Traditional Tackle1
  • 10
    teqq_at "Besides, we are reducing all clocked in hours automatically by 10 hours. per week on Friday." "I have a 40 hours contract, you you expect me to work 10 for free?" (We are in Austria). "Yes, everybody does."
    via u/teqq_at
  • 11
    *hands over keys and access cards* *takes the leaving sysadmin I was expected to replace for a coffee* *turns off phone for a week*
    via u/teqq_at
  • 12
    [deleted] Got hired at Diamond Mazda of Baton Rouge a while back in their used cars team. I explained in the interview process that I wasn't a "car guy" but had incredible sales numbers in every sales job I had. The manager assured me day one I would get a brief on car info to get me started.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 13
    Day one, I show up and he tells me no, I am not getting a brief on car data and I can forget about that. The rest of the sales team spends the days creating fake calls. and pages for me that 4 times send me walking across the lots and properties to people and buildings that don't exist, each time to come back and find the contents of my desk and my chair in the ditch out behind the offices.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 14
    They wouldn't tell me how to read the numeric code on the windshield that had the price on it. Finally when a customer asked me to tell them about a car I explained "it's purple" we both laughed hard, I quit about 7 hours into day 1 right then and there.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 15
    Massive-Lab7... I was hired to work at a sandwich shop. I did an hour front figuring out where things were and then I was up told to go to the walk-in fridge to get something. The smell... my god.
    via u/Massive-Lab7553
  • 16
    There was unwrapped food on the floor, open pails of stuff with no lids, rotten vegetables. It smelled like a corpse and looked like a dumpster. I gagged, took my apron off and just left.
    via u/Massive-Lab7553
  • 17
    RedditPyroAus The pay in the interview and the actual pay were significantly different. (Actual pay was much worse, interview pay covered weekends and bonuses that barely anyone on staff achieved). I left lunchtime day one. "Sorry, this isn't for me"
    via u/RedditPyroAus
  • 18
    aluustful When I realized the work environment was completely toxic everyone appeared stressed, and there was no communication or support. I realized immediately away that wasn't a situation where I could see myself thriving, so I opted to leave before things got worse.
    via u/aluustful
  • 19
    thelegendofcarr... I once took a job that was more of a, "Well, we need some good people but we aren't really sure what we will have you doing. We will figure something out" kind. of thing. After a few hours of being walked around meeting everyone, signing paperwork, etc. a long-shot dream-job employer I had
    via u/thelegendofcarrottop
  • 20
    applied to called me and offered me almost twice as much money to come work for them. I was at lunch with my boss when I got the phone call. I excused myself to take the call, accepted the offer, and went back in to resign. That guy (boss for half a day) and I are still friends. many years later, but was it awkward. I've never
    via u/thelegendofcarrottop
  • 21
    seen anything like it before or since. The job I took really was awesome though and totally changed my career trajectory. Absolutely no regrets.
    via u/thelegendofcarrottop
  • 22
    Cheezburger Image 10513156096
    via Getty Images for Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 23
    a.. [Cook position] The building hadn't been touched in years and the restaurant in the building was shut down because of how dirty the kitchen was. He paid me to clean the kitchen one week before opening and all he gave me was dawn dishsoap and a big a towel and a promise to have proper soap in a few hours. In a few hours I haven't even left a
    via u/aintanoose_itsaleash
  • 24
    dent in the years of dust accumulated on top of years of grease being neglected by the previous restaurant. He shows up with 3 bottles of Mr. Clean from your regular grocer, and tells me the prep station was fine the way it was was, when it still had layers of dusty greasy caked on it. I walked out after that shift and said I wasn't going to have this dump associated with my resume.
    via u/aintanoose_itsaleash
  • 25
    b. I got hired on at a Bob Evans. They were complaining how nobody works and nobody stays for longer than a few weeks. The plan was to do a good job, maybe advance in the career path some here and see where things went from there. First day-
    via u/blackmobius
  • 26
    The main kitchen head walks around critiquing everything that anyone does, sprinkling in personal insults. Kitchen head refuses to clean saying she is paid too much to clean Half of the equipment needs major repair or is so dirty it has an odor, nearly all are unsafe
    via u/blackmobius
  • 27
    Head Refuses to wash hands after smoking or using the bathroom, "just wastes water" she says
    via u/blackmobius
  • 28
    Shift manager sits in office staring at video screens of staff and customers "because you cant trust anyone these days" Two wait staff get into verbal altercation and none of the manager staff do anything to stop it. It goes on for 20 minutes before a customer gets them to stop
    via u/blackmobius
  • 29
    I finished my shift and left, didnt go back. Not worth it
    via u/blackmobius
  • 30
    x_mas_ape At 17 i took a job at a hotel, front desk, easy work. Got there fir my first day and I was a dishwasher in the restaurant. Walked out after about 10 minutes, cause thats not the job i was hired for.
    via u/x_mas_ape
  • 31
    soreadytodisapp... My main job was in banking. All kinds of responsibilities around keeping your cash drawer closed and locked at all times. Terminable offense if you're out of balance over a certain amount or often. Took a part time job at a theater and was responsible for the cash drawer. Except, it didn't lock and they wouldn't give me a key.
    via u/soreadytodisappear
  • 32
    When I questioned it, I was told, indeed I am solely responsible for the integrity of the cash drawer, yet had to frequently leave it to get popcorn, snacks and soda for guests. Noped out within half an hour
    via u/soreadytodisappear
  • 33
    trulsdhjsdf When the "mandatory team- building" turned into a 6- hour unpaid meeting, I realized my exit was long overdue xD
    via u/trulsdhjsdf
  • 34
    bugbugladybug Got a head of ecomm job, and on my first day they said I'd run into trouble from internal candidates who wanted the job but didn't get it. Apparently they don't hire for senior positions internally. Then I was told the team were not allowed to work from home (including when it was mandated) because
    via u/bugbugladybug
  • 35
    "they couldn't be trusted". They continually described the shambles the place was in as though me alone was their only saviour. Holidays, breaks, pension etc were all the legal minimum - very unusual for senior roles.
    via u/bugbugladybug
  • 36
    I was told that I had to sign an opt out for working time regulations "just incase" - there is no paid overtime.) Finally, the owners (family) dragged their kids along to my onboarding, who sat on their phones the whole time and occasionally asked ridiculous questions that were either already covered, or grossly inappropriate.
    via u/bugbugladybug
  • 37
    I left after 3 hours, f noise. that
    via u/bugbugladybug
  • 38
    puledrotauren I went to orientation for a call center job and it became quite apparent to me that their process was to scam older people. Got up started to walk out and the instructor asked me what I was doing. 'leaving' I said. 'oh why? We're about to get to the good stuff'. 'I'm leaving because I have ethics particularly in business' and walked out.
    via u/puledrotauren
  • 39
    AlterEdward Kept me waiting at reception. for 45 minutes. If you don't have a plan for a new start, your workplace is probably a sh show.
    via u/AlterEdward
  • 40
    Pitiful_Winner26... LOL, a rat infestation they did NOT mention in the interview. Restaurant shut down a few weeks later, they were desperate because a bunch of employees - pardon the pun - jumped ship.
    via u/Pitiful_Winner2669
  • 41
    JI! G
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 42
    [deleted] My supervisor wasn't English and it was my first job. Everyone else on the day were asking me what she was saying. And then they put us out on the shop floor and said "we normally train you but not this time." This was my very first job
    via u/[deleted]
  • 43
    [deleted] The lady that was supposed to be training me acted like it was a huge inconvenience, talked to me like I was a child and was super r de to another lady that wanted to show me something. Then she told our boss I wasn't paying attention & maybe not a good fit. I dipped on our afternoon break
    via u/[deleted]

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