Home » Bizarre Lawsuits • Crime and Fraud • US business news » Man Sued Company Because His ‘Nightmare’ Work Was So Boring
https://www.whatjobs.com/news/usa/us-business-news/the-frenchman-who-sued-his-company-because-his-nightmare-work-was-so-boring
One of the truths of the world of work is that not every day is an exciting, rewarding rollercoaster - a lot of it is quite boring.
Sometimes, we have to do things that we don't want to and that are a bit dull.
Record-keeping, admin, or cleaning out hundreds of old emails probably aren't on too many people's lists of things they look forward to.
Most of us just suck it up as part of the job.
But one man despairing about how boring his job was, decided to take a different route.
The employee was Frenchman Frederic Desnard, who took his employer to court because he got so bored.
The lawsuit against French perfume-maker Interparfums used some colorful language, with Desnard describing his work as a "descent into hell" and a "nightmare."
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He had worked there for eight years before he was made redundant.
However, he also claimed the company cast him aside after he lost a major contract.
He then was off sick for seven months due to various health issues, including depression he said was caused by having "20-40 minutes work each day"
Upon his return, he was let go.
The lawsuit asked for €360,000 as Desnard also claimed bosses called him names and even made him pick up their children from school.
He won!
He didn't get the cash he'd hoped for but was paid around €40,000
Paris’s appeals court ruled that Desnard suffered from “bore out”, which is technically the opposite of burnout, where an employee is overworked.
Strangely, at the time of the lawsuit in 2014, "bore out" wasn't something recognized by French law.
Desnard's lawyer said the total lack of stimulation at work had left him feeling "destroyed" and "ashamed."
He said the situation also led to him suffering an epileptic fit while he was driving.
Speaking to AFP in 2016, Desnard said: "I went into depression. I was ashamed to be paid to do nothing.
"The worst part of it was denying the suffering."
Some of the jobs he claimed were given to him were setting up the CEO's new tablet and letting a plumber into his boss's house.
The company said in court Desnard had not complained about his boring job and lack of stimulation.
Lawyers argued Desnard only raised his plight after learning he was going to be made redundant.
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