Sometimes in the workplace people have to be fired.
Often it's entirely justified, for example for gross misconduct or poor performance. Others are not, and are often seen as massive overreactions or over-enforcement of petty workplace rules. From sleeping to wardrobe malfunctions, there have been a range of incidents where employees were dismissed in controversial fashion.
Here are eight examples of unusual dismissals.
The Napping Air Traffic Controller
In 2011, an air traffic controller at Reagan National Airport was dismissed after he was found sleeping during his shift. This incident led to an investigation that highlighted severe lapses in FAA oversight and shift management.
Wearing the Wrong Tie
A UK bank worker was dismissed in 2009 for wearing a novelty tie featuring a character from "The Simpsons." His employer argued the tie breached their dress code policy, which aimed to maintain a professional image.
The Costco Hearing Aid Incident
In 2013, a Costco employee with 28 years of service was dismissed for assisting a customer with a hearing aid adjustment. This was seen as a violation of company policy regarding the scope of employee actions.
An employee was dismissed in 2011 for giving his supervisors a "Dilbert" comic strip that mocked management decisions. The bosses didn't find this particularly funny, and in fact, deemed it as insubordination and a lack of seriousness about his job.
The Too Honest Teacher
A UK infant school teacher was dismissed after she told pupils Santa Claus isn't real. This led to parent complaints and a decision by the school that her comments had undermined community values.
Fired Over a Bag of Chips
A long-serving employee at a major snack company was fired in 2009 for taking a $0.50 bag of chips without paying. This was deemed to be breaking the company's strict no-theft policy.
The Facebook "Like" Dismissal
In 2012, a sheriff's deputy in Virginia was fired for liking the Facebook page of his boss's political opponent. The deputy challenged his dismissal in court, arguing his Facebook Like constituted protected speech under the First Amendment.
The case initially saw a district court ruling a Facebook Like was not sufficient speech to merit constitutional protection. However, in 2013, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit overturned this decision, ruling clicking "Like" on Facebook is indeed a form of speech protected by the First Amendment.
The Muffin Theft
A transit authority employee was dismissed in 2013 after being accused of stealing a $2 muffin from an employee cafeteria. He contested his dismissal, arguing it was a misunderstanding and that he had intended to pay for the muffin.
His case highlighted the issue of disproportionate responses to minor infractions in the workplace.
The result of the hearing is not clear, but it was unlikely to have presented the company in a good light.
