CEO reprimands unpaid intern for coming to mandatory Halloween party in a “scary” costume, intern claims he didn't get the memo stating it wasn't allowed: ‘I was not properly informed’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Oct 22, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

If you have ever worked as an unpaid intern at a workplace, then you know how impossible it is to navigate your role within that office.

On one hand, you were "hired" to do a job, which allows you to gain enough experience to get an actual job in the future, which is something anyone should be grateful for. On the other hand, you're technically not an employee, so no one can demand anything from you or expect you to follow the same rules as a paid worker, especially when it comes to attending mandatory off-the-clock events, like a Halloween party.

When the unpaid intern in the story below was told he had to attend the office Halloween party, he was actually ok with it; he even had a costume prepared. However, this intern did not get the memo that no "scary" costumes were allowed, since he is not in the office email chain or even allowed in the break room. 

When he showed up to the party with his scary clown costume, the CEO was not happy to see him, but the intern refused to apologize. Keep scrolling to read about the dispute that happened in the middle of the party.

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  • 01
    Friends at Halloween Party
    via SeventyFour

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    AITAH telling the CEO to carry out his threats

    I (19M) have been an unpaid intern for a tech company for maybe 3wks. Yesterday, the company put together a Halloween event for everyone and their families.
    via Reddit
  • 03
    They had pushed out a memo clearly stating that all costumes must be family friendly. They specified nothing too revealing and nothing scary.
    via Reddit
  • 04
    I only saw the email after someone I work under showed me. I don't get memos pushed out to me since I'm just an intern.
    via Reddit
  • 05
    I showed up in a homemade scary clown costume. I spent months working on it. I couldn't figure out why I was getting such dirty looks until I noticed that I was the only "scary" costume.
    via Reddit
  • 06
    It was humiliating. I asked the someone I worked under if I could go home. Clearly this was not the event for me, but they said it was mandatory to show up.
    via Reddit
  • 07
    I felt it was unfair since I was not properly informed. I also panicked and tried to make my clown costume less scary.
    via Reddit
  • 08
    During the party the CEO pulled me aside and tore into me. Making threats. I told him to act on them.
    via Reddit
  • 09
    That I am just an unpaid intern who has a second tech company to contact. They offer paid internship.
    via Reddit
  • 10
    Apparently talking back to the CEO makes me an asshole according to the someone I work under.
    via Reddit
  • 11
    It could be because they had also gotten in trouble for what I said. They even pointed out that I could have looked at the bulletin board for the information in the email.
    via Reddit
  • 12
    It was posted in the break room. Nobody told me that I was allowed to use the break room.
    via Reddit
  • 13
    АІТАН?
    via Reddit
  • 14
    man wearing black crew neck shirt decorative happy halloween signage
    via Louis Hansel

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 15
    Sea-Operation-6123 I'm confused ... what kind of "threats" did he make?
    via Sea-Operation-6123
  • 16
    OP [deleted] He threatened to revoke my internship with his company and to contact my advisor stating that I failed to complete part of their program therefore I would be dropped from my classes.
    via Reddit
  • 17
    OP [deleted] Are you slow or something? Who shows up to Halloween events without a costume?
    via Reddit
  • 18
    Consistent-Coffee-36 How is a Halloween party mandatory for someone who is unpaid?
    via Consistent-Coffee-36
  • 19
    Ok_Maintenance 7716 If you can go elsewhere and be paid for doing the same work, why would you ever stay put and work for free? And you knew that the event was for families. Common sense should have told you to make the costume family friendly, even if it wasn't explicitly spelled out for you.
    via Ok_Maintenance7716
  • 20
    Hallsie11 I believe this requires a picture of the costume
    via Hallsie11
  • 21
    Next_Confidence_3654 Nothing like some good old forced fun to build camaraderie.
    via Next_Confidence_3654
  • 22
    TheRealRedParadox ESH but hear me out. You knowing what you should and shouldn't wear is absolutely on you dude. It's embarrassing and sks, but own it and do better
    via TheRealRedParadox
  • 23
    in the future. That being said, your CEO crossed the line and you were well within your right to call him on his shit. Don't take shit from anyone.
    via TheRealRedParadox
  • 24
    BagGroundbreaking 170 If it's mandatory, I'm getting paid. If I'm not getting paid, I'm not showing up
    via BagGroundbreaking170

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boss aita workplace-stories employee job halloween intern tales-from-the-workplace reddit story ceo Party overworked-employees workplace Reddit company halloween costume
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