Most of the time, getting fired is something you absolutely don’t want happening to you.
Sometimes, though, it comes as a cathartic relief. Sometimes, it’s totally worth it .
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You can live vicariously through those who got fired for totally worthwhile reasons by checking out the r/AskReddit thread, “What’s your ‘got fired, but was totally worth it’ story?” .
We’ve collected some of the best responses here.
Those benefits add up.
“Was an assistant store manager at Lowe’s and decided to go back to school to become a teacher and drop down to an hourly position for three months and then I was going to leave the company after that to study full time. The day before the transfer they fired me which saved them from paying me half of my saved up vacation time which was worth about $300.
“As I am being led out of the store my buddy in HR says you can get unemployment and slides me a note with the phone number. I get 6 months of unemployment at $300 a week.”
The rant was worth it.
“Hated my corporate job, was going to wait one more week before I turned in my two weeks, so I could get paid for Xmas and New Years. Finally lost it on my boss, told her ‘If you spent one-third the time actually doing your job that you spent covering up for not doing your job, you could pretty much sit in your office and listen to talk radio for the rest of the day and nobody would have a problem with you.’
“CEO was standing on the other side of the door. He was like ‘I’m real sorry, but…’ and off I went. I could tell he didn’t disagree with me. I had another job in seven hours.”
Grandma comes first.
“Was working at Little Caesars at the time, was probably my 2nd month or so. About an hour before my shift starts, my mom calls and says my grandma fell down the stairs and is at the hospital, and I need to go right away since she works farther away and I can get to her first. I call LC to tell them I can’t come in, and my boss said if I don’t come in, I’ll be fired. I say ok and hang up. A few hours later I get a voicemail saying I’ve been let go from LC. Totally worth it to make it to my grandma to check on her.”
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.
“Was working in dialysis when another competing company came to town effectively eliminating the monopoly my current company had on treating kidney failure. The company I worked for had already lost their physician group and was so afraid of losing staff (and the patients that would follow them) to the new company they gave out huge retention bonuses. After receiving my bonus I was fired for a manufactured problem beyond my control. I was hired by the new company, got a $10,000 signing bonus and took a couple dozens patients with me to the new company.”
Overstepping for the right reasons.
“I had a county prosecutor calling repeatedly trying to obtain some documents. It was a drunk driver case, the guy was facing down some serious charges and they were trying to build their case and determine the extent of charges against him. Absolutely someone who needed to be put away.
“Everything in policy said they were entitled to it, but the person who normally furnishes it was constantly out with all manner of excuses. I finally got sick of putting it off, stalling them, making excuses for her. I pulled the info myself and sent it. That didn’t break any laws or policy, but they decided to sack me for it because I’d overstepped. But I’d do it again.”
Did they find Him?
“Unreasonable sales targets and in the middle of a 1:1 with my boss, who was asking me how I planned to make up for the deficit. I said, ‘find Jesus.’ She responded she’d given it a lot of thought and admitted not being able to think of anything on which I could be doing better, but used the, ‘find Jesus,’ comment to later get me fired. In such a better role now, not only was the sarcasm worth it, where I am now is!”
I’ll see you in court!
“Got fired. So I went to the court and sued my former employer because he refused to pay me my last month salary + 1 month severance pay. When the subpoena arrived at my employer’s front door, he emailed me saying that I was wrong and that I didn’t understand the laws. And he was looking forward to SEEING me before the court.
“On the court day, he didn’t show and send his attorney to settle the due balance for my salary .”
Rack up that long distance.
“Worked as a telemarketer. Local calls to subscribers of a service. Boss was abusive as hell, taking out his frustrations on employees by angrily berating them. After he did this to a nice girl that worked there I was mad and knew I was gonna quit, so I called my mom who was in Japan at the time and just had a long casual conversation until he stormed out of his office and fired me.”
Collateral damage.
“I waited tables at a restaurant/bar and this drunk chick tried to chuck a hot fajitas skillet at me with no success. I then threw her drink right back at her and the guy she was next to. I kinda felt bad because the guy seemed nice, but sometimes there are casualties in war.”
Cut the cord.
“Wife was due with our first daughter. Company asked me to go on 2 week trip that overlapped due date. Told them it wasn’t gonna work for me. They then offered a single week trip that still overlapped and told me to choose one or the other. I chose to cut the umbilical cord.
“I’m sure they broke the law but it wasn’t worth the fight. Had some cash put away and spent the next couple months changing diapers until I was ready to put my skillset back to work. Thank goodness I had the abilities that finding work wasn’t hard.”
Lay the smack down.
“Worked at a 9 hole golf course that was adding 9 new holes when i was 17 y/o. We were doing some of the excavation in that area. At lunch we took turns chipping golf balls from the top of a big hill towards a recently completed green. Boss (little fella real mouthy) comes over and starts MF’ing us up and down and yelling to get to work. Told him we were on lunch but he didn’t care. Continued yelling. I got pissed and and started mouthing off. He starts coming towards me aggressively so i just grabbed and hip tossed him (wrestling days). He went rolling all the way down the hill. We laughed and laughed. I was fired on the spot and narrowly escaped criminal charges.”
“Schools are closed on Saturday!”
“I got fired because I asked my boss three weeks in advance if I could have the Saturday off. I explained to him the day off was for an ‘open day’ at the school I wanted to go to, and that there wouldn’t be another opportunity before the new school year started. I even found a colleague that was willing to take my shift.
“He starts screaming at me that this was the dumbest excuse he ever heard because schools are closed on Saturdays. He even included some of the most interesting profanities that were ever hurled at me.
“He ended the call telling me that I would never be allowed back in the shop.”
Not cool.
“Was working a 10-2:00 brunch shift at a big hotel in Hawai’i. In HI, you get health care after 30 days employment, which costs companies money. My 28th day, the restaurant is deserted at 1:50; zero customers for 20 minutes; all the other waiters have clocked out and left & new-guy me is alone. I asked my manager if I could leave early to get to my 2nd job; ‘Sure, your side work’s done, take off.’ Next day, two people from HR were waiting for me at the time clock; I was escorted like a criminal to HR and fired for abandoning my job 10 minutes early -my schedule and time card were evidence.”
All before 7 am.
“I worked at Einstein’s Bagels. I had been there since 4:30 am and this lady, during our morning rush, got angry about one of the bagels in her order and threw it at me hard, hit me and got me covered in cream cheese.
“I picked it up, threw it back at her, and nailed her in the face. All of this before 7 am.”
Violence is never the answer.
“Worked at a tire shop and just by a fluke of pertfect timing I caught the Asst. Mgr take an upskirt picture of a customer who was bent over looking in her trunk for a lug key. I broke his nose. They fired me and it was absolutely appropriate to do so, and I don’t even feel bad about it cause they fired him too.”
A true legend.
“Not me but one in my confectioner’s class (but he left before I started, so maybe a urban legend). He wanted out of his apprenticeship so he got in to one of the giant coolers (the one with like 5 °C temperature) sat down and began to eat a fully finished, fully paid, expensive wedding cake, waiting for someone else to enter the cooler.”
Cold Stone, cold hearts.
“Went into a business meeting for the ice cream shop I managed Cold Stone I was told that the girl that was 7 months pregnant need to be written up as much as possible so they could have a legal reason to fire her. Told them it wasn’t going to happen and they suggested that I put in my two weeks and find other work. So I did, then I was told that I was going to be gone in two weeks and might as well just fire her. Was no way in hell I would do that. I walked into that meeting with a 50 hour a week decent paying job and left with nothing but my integrity. I then preceded to drive to my store and pull the girl aside and let her know what was going on.”
Wheelchair racing!
“I was working as a CNA (Certified Nurses Aide) back in the early 90’s & I liked to have fun with the residents. On day my administrator found me in a hall—- Wheelchair racing with several other elderly participants who were intent on kicking my ass! I was fired on the spot. Citing safety issues. Phhhfff. Whatever dude.”
How ’bout no?
“This happened last week. I was getting miserable at my job, hit a pretty low pay ceiling, always tired and anxious, planning to get out as soon as I found a better job. As I’m getting to the end of my work day, my supervisor calls me and asks me to make a second visit to a customer way out of my way. I told him no and I got fired that day. I was kind of embarrassed by being let go and losing my paid vacation, but a week later I have a new job that’s easier money and closer to home. I finally feel in control of my life.”
Public service announcement.
“I worked as the PA announcer for a minor league baseball team the summer of 1997. One of only 3 women doing it that season. I got $25 a game and free food. There was a season ticket holder who sat in front of the press box and was a grade A a-hole the whole season. Near the end of the season, after a game where A-hole was particularly mouthy I was doing my end of the game announcement telling everyone to drive safe, yadda yadda yadda. ‘And be careful leaving the parking lot, watch out for pedestrians…except for A-hole. If you see him, feel free to run him over.’ Got canned, but it was worth it.”
– u/reduff
