Is this the craziest reason that a temp ever got fired?

Every recruiter has a crazy recruiting story.

I have hundreds. Bizarre recruiter behavior. Shocking client manners. Fee shocks. Massive self-inflicted stuff-ups.

But somehow candidate stories are often the best.

This one only happened a few weeks ago. And I was in the room at people2people Sydney when the client called with the news.

It’s not dramatic. It’s not sensational. Nothing terrible happened. But I have seldom laughed so hard.

It’s just the extraordinary mindset of a Temp who would do what this Temp did.

It’s simple really.

He was actually a qualified lawyer. But he had some dubious history, so the team thought they would try him out in a para-legal role. (I know, we should have stopped at the ‘dubious history’ part!) It was an important task, but low-level and not challenging. What could go wrong… right?

The Temp was grateful, the client fully briefed. All good. Locked in.

And then it happened. 11.30am on Day 1 of the assignment

The client calls! (Never a great thing)

He is calm and composed.

But the news is that he had to let the temp go, on the spot.

Fired!

Our consultant was horrified. What had he done? Picked a fight? Destroyed the IT system? Propositioned the CEO?

No it was simple. And tragi-comedic.

Our temp, on day one of his assignment, had strolled over to the communal fridge and calmly eaten three employees lunch! By 11.30!

He was confronted on this. He seemed bemused. He thought the lunches were for ‘general consumption’.

Right!

I have heard of Temps being fired for a wide range of illegal, sexual, racist, drunken and other behavioral misdemeanors.

But eating three co-workers lunch? Three? Before noon? On day 1?

That is a top effort!

What about you? What is the craziest temp misdemeanor you have seen? Do share in the comments below please.

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  • Posted by Greg Savage
  • On January 23, 2018
  • 32 Comments
Tags: Coaching recruiters, Manners, recruitment, temp, temp behaviour, temp recruitment

32 Comments

Pren
I once had to end someone's temp assignment after a week, because they thought bringing a bottle of vodka to Friday drinks was appropriate. Common sense not so common.. (><)
Abby
I once sent a candidate to an interview - one of those "tick the boxes" interviews because the hiring manager had heard great things about the candidate and wanted him on board asap. The offer was pretty much on the table. Sadly, the it was taken back before the interview even started because my candidate decided that sitting in the reception area, waiting for the hiring manager, was the perfect time to start clipping his toe nails. A horrified HR Manager and COO looked on as my candidate calmly popped his shoes and socks back on and extended an unwashed to hand to greet them.
    Greg Savage
    That beats my story.. hands down! (Or is it feet down?)
Kylie
I recently had a contractor not show up for his second day on the job because he had a meeting with Centrelink that morning to advise them he had found employment. He was fired on the spot.
    Clare
    That illustrates pure cruelty and disregard by the employer towards the situation of the temp worker, who does also happen to be a human. I hope you got something else lined up for them pretty quick?
George
A couple; Mate, what happened - "oh, Sorry, surf was up" ( knew he could find another role and he did ) A senior level Programme Manager thought he was going to make his riches in contracting and wanted to make his mark - argued aggressively with the CIO over a project he knew very little about - didn't last until lunchtime and client willingly paid him out a month not to come back - ( no it wasn't cheap ) - never contracted again and now anti contractor - go figure!
Shelly
I once worked on a project with an extremely arrogant PM. He did many things to team members that we escalated as being inappropriate and unprofessionalsuch as ignoring expert advice, not taking on board risks raised etc. The final straw however, was in a Program Board meeting and it transpired that because he refused to listen to the experts in his team, he hadnt adequately addressed a key deliverable and it was a show stopper. The project sponsor said that if it wasnt done then there was no point continuing with the meeting and directed us to adjorn until we could reconvene with the full information. He just stared at her and then continued as if she had not spoken. He disappeared the next day!!
Heather Haines
I once had a temp from bonnie Scotland who didn't turn up to work. When I finally managed to contact her she said she had a cold and if she sneezed she'd pee and if she peed she'd stink. So she couldn't possibly go to work!! Perhaps it was just as well!
    Greg Savage
    Onya Hainsie! Was that when you worked for one of my mighty companies?
alex babic
Brilliant.
Michelle
Mine is from the perspective of a temp... and as the one who was fired: diagnosed with breast cancer... missed a team meeting... let go two days later. I was told my performance “wasn’t up to scratch” - despite being offered a full-time permanent role a week before I got sick, based on my performance... it’s not always the temps that mess up!
    Greg Savage
    That's a terrible experience Michelle.. and of couscous employers make as many errors as employees! (although what happened to you sounds illegal as well)
    Clare
    Too unfair. I know a temp who got fired for having epilepsy (without a legal contract they had no legal protection). Then word got around all other agencies and they got 'blacklisted'. They couldn't protect against that either because 'blacklists' are an underground ambiguous practice, as you know. Career over for the poor chap!
      Greg Savage
      There is no comparison whatsoever between what you describe and this blog. Your person had an illness and was discriminated against, probably against the law The temp in this blog was a thief, who displayed outrageously inappropriate behavior, upsetting multiple staff members, who deserved to lose his job Drawing a parallel is ludicrous
Rob Mailich
love the comments Greg I had a chap that arrived at his interview, paraletic drunk - it was also one of those 'tick-the-box' type interviews. I had flown him in for the interview. They found him trying to open cars in the parking lot, so we had security remove him and sent him straight back in a taxi to the airport. When I confronted him, he asked me if I had ever killed a person.....and so that story got crazier and crazier... Happy 2018 all and chat again soon Greg
    Greg Savage
    Hi Rob! Wow that is pretty out there!!! WE are in SA later this year so look forward to another dinner with your wonderful team if we can, best Greg
Keith Wilkins
I once had an IT contractor wake up on a Friday morning and thought it was Saturday so went on holiday and was MIA for a whole week PLUS one day. This was in the days before mobile phones and so we could not trace him. He was totally bemused by the situation when he returned and could not understand why the client had decided to let him go...
Rowena Arnold
In an interview the client asked a "what would you say if..." scenario question. My candidate answered with "I would say I don't get paid enough to deal with that sort of shit" True story!
Veronica Blatt
One of our members had to fire a temp because he nicked a tater tot from the employee lunch buffet!
Tony
Some great stories. Unfortunately, I can't add mine. I work in trades recruitment and my stories are, shall we say way too blue to publish. All the best for 2018 Greg...
Liz
Believe it or not....I had nearly the same thing happen! Only this was a Chemist and he was caught in the supply closet eating the General Manager's lunch! LOL!
Mandy Brook
I had a temp who didnt like his manager and decorated his steel toe caps with screws and fixings to the floor. He then in his infinite wisdom took a photo and posted it on facebook boasting about what he had done! I jest you not! He was surprised when we docked his wages for new work boots and let go! Not sure why?!
Sam
I had a temp turn up to interview with his Coles shopping which he had just done!
Marilyn Jones
I ran a recruitment office in Melbourne for the technical arm of a MultiNational Recruitment company. One of the other divisions of the same recruitment company supplied us an office staff member. We had interviewed her and she interviewed great. But then when she turned up for work, started to eat at the front reception desk and then said the 'F.&*! word in a conversation with the staff member who was training her. This was in the first hour.. Promptly asked her to leave...As she left the office the language that came out cant be repeated...
Mike Mumford
I shared the abridged version of this on twitter with Greg. I had a contract employee that work on an assignment for me in Dearborn, MI. He worked nights (10:00PM - 7:00AM). Not too long into his assignment I was called by the client to come down and release of him of his duties. It was 10:00AM and he was refusing to leave his drafting board (That should give you the timeframe). When I arrived I was met by two Dearborn PD officers and the head of security from the client. They explained to me the situation and what they expected to be done. I dutifully grabbed a box and went to see my guy. He refused to leave and after about forty minutes had to be physically removed from the building. After his removal, the head of security took me aside and gave me the detail. My employee apparently had some issue with his immediate supervisor and took a strong dislike to him. Each night during his shift instead of using the bathroom he would relieve himself in an empty gallon milk jug and store it under his desk. When he felt he had enough 'liquid' stored he would then proceed to the parking lot where he would pour the contents of his jug over the top of his supervisor's car. Did I mention it was winter in Dearborn? Each morning the supervisor would come to his vehicle after working a night shift to find it encased in a frozen 'glaze'. After a while and a close view of the weather, he realized that this was not a naturally occurring weather event. In the end, they were able to catch my contract employee on video during the 'glazing' process and able to figure out what and how it happened. Unbelievable. I sat motionless in my chair as the head of security explained this to me. After a moment, he asked me if I had any questions or anything to say. I responded with the only thing I knew how to do. I asked him if he had any hiring needs in his security group and how the process worked! He smiled, shook my hand and promptly sent me on my way. They are still a client and I am still friends with the supervisor that had the 'glazed' vehicle. I am not sure if this is the craziest temp story but it has to rank up near the top. I one day hope to write a book chronicling the many stories and experiences I have had in this great and crazy business. Until then, stop reading and get back on your phone!!! www.hire-road.com
Danny Craigie
A temp with a hygiene issue was tactfully spoken to by a female client and asked politely if he could have a bath. To which he replied, "Sorry of course no problem, will you be joining me?"
Suzanne
as a hiring manager, i went thru 3 temps in one week - never used the temp agency again. one showed up high on day 1 -didn’t make it an hour one didn’t know the alphabet and had to write down letters and ask for help (the role was filing clerk for accounts payable by vendor name alphabetical) - let go at end of day the third was late on first day (some transit excuse) and then never showed or called next day as for interviews - i had someone show up without socks, another with glasses taped up, and another in all white suit that people thought i was hiring a baker/chef as for lunch stolen, day 1 of new job i was warmed of thief in kitchen and week three my gluten, dairy, soy free lunch was gone! i missed a meeting trying to go find food i could eat. ah the stories over twenty years....
Stuart Floan
Temp in a secure electronics manufacturing in the UK - all staff required to proceed though airport scanners to ensure no products. They had a conveyor belt in between the two scanners, staff would place items on the belt pass through & pick up items on other side. Temp threw their cigarette packet through and the small wrapped up chunk of cannabis fell out in front of the security manager on to the floor. He picked it up, smiled and gave it back.....5 mins later I get the call from HR saying thank you but no thank you!
Lesley Horsburgh
Many moons ago when I was running a temp desk in the UK (temporarily) I received a call from a client to explain the temp had been er removed. She - the temp - had decided that the 2 day assignment wasn't for her but it was too embarrassing to say so. So what would any level headed person do ... climb out of the bathroom window to escape right? yes really. Sadly, she got stuck and had to be rescued by a staff member who found her mid way through the window. 23 years on and it still makes me chuckle.
Vanessa
A temp that failed to disclose a driving conviction and let the organisation book a car while he was disqualified to drive it... BUT... the reason they actually walked him, he asked the lovely older dears in the office if they would be participating in 'movember' but in their neither regions (also not said that politely). There is more to the movements of this story but don't want to disclose!

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