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Person Started A Thread Of People Sharing Dumb Rules They Have At Work Because Of An Idiot Coworker And Here Are 30 Of Their Best Stories
Rules at a workplace are there for a reason and most often the reason is to make sure the employees are safe. While this is true for the most part, sometimes certain rules sound ridiculous and might seem unnecessary, but it could be that they were introduced after a very specific event that the company doesn’t want to happen again.
Those events are quite ridiculous and in some cases the companies might have overreacted or could have solved the problem in another way, but they are nonetheless entertaining. Reddit users shared the rules they have to follow at their jobs that were imposed on them after an employee misbehaved when Googunk asked, “What stupid rule did your work have to make because one idiot ruined it for everyone?”
Do you have any similar stories? Maybe you were the one that inspired a new rule at your workplace? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to upvote the rules in this list that you feel are the most absurd.
More info: Reddit
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#1
No skirts, shorts or skorts, at all.
I used to work in a bar and the dress code was simple, just wear black. Didn't matter what is was, as long as it was plain black. In the summer the girls used to wear skirts or shorts so that they're not uncomfortable while working and everyone was fine with it.
A new guy joined in July of 2021, and it was very hot so people had skirts on. He kept on taking pictures under the girls skirts and of their thighs. He was caught many times but instead of him being fired, they just banned skirts
Thanks a lot Martin
#2
A video game company I worked for provided free snacks and sodas. One Friday HR had just done a shopping run and was bringing in a truck load of junk food. One employee was caught sneaking a case of soda out of the parking lot. He wasn't fired or disciplined, it was just made public why the perk was ended. He quit shortly afterward and attempted to sue for a hostile work environment. That went nowhere.
Lem Johnson 2 years ago
The thing is, he should have been disciplined properly and formally. Turning all his colleagues against him and allowing "mob justice" is not good management - and it IS creating a hostile work environment, and in a lot of places is classed as workplace bullying. Did the guy deserve it? Yeah, probably. Does that make it the right thing to do? No.
#3
Well, I went to the Dr office the other day. At the bathroom there was a sign. It said "Due to misuse of hand soap, you will have to request soap from front desk". I'm weirded the f**k out. What the hell are they doing with the soap?! At the doctor's office??
I was just too afraid to ask.
#4
We can’t use the wheelbarrow to carry all the equipment down, now we have to make multiple trips up and down a big hill with heavy equipment.
-F**k you Wyatt
Background: Wyatt decided to use the wheelbarrow as a ride down the hill and lost control. Almost slamming into a kid (the mom luckily pulled the kid out of the way in time) and now no more wheelbarrow. Oh and we all hate Wyatt and he swears it wasn’t his fault and it was everybody else’s fault. But he still works there cause we are short staffed thanks to covid.
And wait it gets better: I was the one who was supervising that shift, I was already at the bottom of the hill cause I was helping training some new people. So I didn’t see what Wyatt was doing, well he rode the wheelbarrow down and crashed and guess who got in trouble? Me. Cause apparently I have to train people while also watching out for idiots riding in wheelbarrows (why the f**k would I think anyones stupid enough to do that?!) well I got in trouble and almost demoted. And then the next day Wyatt tells my I should have been “doing my job” to stop him from riding in the wheelbarrow. Then he asked me out as his girlfriend (we never even went on a date, he just straight up asked me) and was shocked when I said no. He then said “oh you’re lesbian” and ya I am but even if I wasn’t I’m not going to date someone who almost got me demoted?!
#5
No hands in your pockets.
We were rewaxing the floor and I slipped on a cord, and couldn't catch myself because my hands were in my pockets smashed my knee on the tile floor. The whole school district got that rule. (~40 schools)
#6
We used to have casual Friday and people could wear jeans. One day a girl came in wearing sweatpants that had “Juicy” printed across the butt.
The CEO happened to be visiting our location that day and he saw her. Casual Friday was immediately abolished and it took years for them to forget Juicy Girl and reinstate it. But in the intervening years, they would have fundraisers where you could buy tickets for days that you could wear jeans.
#7
I was serving in the Army when a soldier made a video on TikTok of himself dancing and playing with a gun and the video went viral. They took the mobiles after that from everyone and I stayed for couple of weeks not even able to reach my family
#8
Only one personal item in your office.
This was a financial institution so customers came into our offices. This was put in place because of one lady who had her office packed with trinkets including a handful of dolls.
Yes, creepy dolls. Come and get your auto loan also don't worry we have some dolls here to witness your transaction.
Benita Valdez 2 years ago
I would've been very sad if my old job had done that. What I did was very high stress and having my little trinkets were soothing. The big boss asked about my "decorations" once and I said if it didn't have a little piece of happiness to get me through the day I'd go insane and quit. He just said thank you for not quitting
#9
I was hoping for employee's discount at a japanese grocery store. However, someone from the past has abused the employee discount in order to give low prices to their friends. Management found out, and they effectively just took the employment discount away.
Thanks a lot a*****e. You effectively deprived me the one thing I was hoping for in that stressful and boring job.
Mad McQueen 2 years ago
Can't even get a discount at Home Depot when working there. Maybe just 10% off for you and spouse if you're there but nothing.
#10
Place i used to work gave out turkeys for thanksgiving, an employee accidently dropped his on his foot and tried to file a suit against them for some crazy amount of money. No more turkeys
#11
1. All social media and streaming sites are now blocked on work computers, because someone spent all day on social media and watching movies while at work.
2. The Sick Room and Quiet Room are now locked because a certain slacker keeps hiding in it. They've been "hiding" in the glass meeting pods since.
BluEyedSeoulite 2 years ago
I'm guessing it was the same person... Who should probably be fired...
#12
Worked as a cashier and supposedly a superior or whatever came to look at the store one day and said us cashiers/floor employees having water bottles up front is not good. So we weren’t allowed to have water bottles out on the floor anymore; so if we wanted water, we’d have to go the back…. Us cashiers talk to many customers a day and we’re going to get thirsty of course, we all thought it was a stupid rule.
Benita Valdez 2 years ago
Yeah when I was a cashier they tried this. I told them sorry but my meds give me dry mouth so I need water. This prompted others to claim they had needs too. Frustrated, they relented but they couldn't be left out in the open; order register when not drinking and must be resealable
#13
No eating in front of the customers on our break.
I worked fast food at the time and it wasn't uncommon for my coworkers and I to sit in our lobby, close to the registers so we could jump back into action if needed. One day, I was sitting at one of those tables, having my lunch break when a customer came in. He gave me a dirty look and when he went up to order, he told my manager that he didn't like seeing his employees being lazy and eating where the customers could see. My manager was very calm and polite while dealing with him and basically said, "Dude, wtf my employees aren't animals."
Come my next shift, my manager told us that corporate got a complaint about us eating in front of the customers and we were no longer allowed to take our lunch breaks in our lobby. We either had to sit in our crammed office or eat in our cars.
#14
No sneakers/
One manger was obsessed with this girl who was 30 years younger than him (50-20) and her commute was two hours long. She sometimes forgot to change them out and he must have got sick of her turning him down than he mandated a no sneaker clause.
Daycare Attendant Sun 2 years ago
So, the creep couldn't get his way and took it out on her, and everyone else. Nice.
#15
Safety briefing at a job site explicitly stated that hardhats were not to be used as weapons.
#16
Everyone has to speak English, because one lady thought people were talking s**t about her in Spanish (they were!).
LagoonaBlueColleen 2 years ago
This is surprisingly often a rule by default in some worksites. Usually suspicions ring true.
#17
No popcorn.
I work at a financial company and not once, but twice, someone burned microwave popcorn during end of day processing and caused the building evac.
Every once in a while a new person is cooking some up and I just imagine the talking to they're about to get.
LagoonaBlueColleen 2 years ago
This rule is at a lot of offices including the place I work at. We're not allowed to bring anything with a "smell".
#18
We used to get a free beer after our shifts at a pizza restaurant I worked at, until the manager’s little brother got in a car accident after work (he ran a red light or something). That was fun while it lasted
#19
“You are welcome to wear comfortable clothing during the overnight shift. However you must wear pants at all time. No pajamas or *underwear*”
It predates all of us. The guess is someone did an overnight, took off their pants to relax and someone went in crisis.
#20
Used to work as a server in an assisted living facility. After a server flipped out during breakfast one day, there was a sign put up in the kitchen that said "DO NOT THREATEN RESIDENTS"
That f****r still works there
#21
Not allowed to fly paper planes in the office.
I work in finance and yes it was my fault. My aim is terrible and my plane "crashed" into a manager from another department who had no sense of humor. F**k that guy.
Béatrice Gallet 2 years ago
You were unprofessional and blame another person on your act, A.H. !
#22
Don't put stickers on people's backs.
Background:
I work in a warehouse that stores and ships products out to retail stores. We print labels out for the packages and pallets etc and some of us made a game out of "tagging" people with stickers without them noticing. I got really good at it. I did this trick where I'd put the top two corners together making a sort of cone shape so I could just let it rest on my finger then sort of throw my hand up at an angle so it flies off my finger and gently lands on their back without me having to apply any pressure to make it stick and risk them catching me. Even some of the supervisors got in on it.
One day someone decided to try it on one of the cooperates from one of the stores and was instantly caught, ruining the fun for everyone.
#23
We had to get gps systems for the company cars because one guy took his company car on vacation. He also paid for gas with the company card so now we are required to write the current mileage at the top of the receipt so they can check miles driven vs. Gas bought. Its no big deal, just like what a loser.
Miss Ann Thrope 2 years ago
Worked with a gal who's husband drove a company van. When he had to get gas, she would go with him in her car. He would gas up the company van, he'd move the van, she'd move up her car, and fill up her tank without returning the nozzle, so it would all be on one receipt. They never got caught.
#24
all the plates and cutlery were thrown away in the staff restaurant because washing up was left dirty in the sink,its bring you own cutlery and plate in if you want to eat there now.
Bec 2 years ago
Ugh. I worked in a billing center and decided to bring in real cutlery after I received a new set at Xmas. Just a week later I went into the kitchen and open the drawer to get a spoon for my yogurt and there was almost no silverware left. I asked, what happened. Oh people just throw it away because they don't want to wash it. WTF people.
#25
We used to be able to pop in an ear bud at work with the offset being that we couldn't spend more than a few seconds here or there to switch podcasts or something. Naturally, some people took a mile and spent minutes on their phones. Since everyone was afraid of confronting these people, phones and earbuds were banned in work spaces altogether.
#26
One person complained that he wasn't 'trained properly.'
We all now have to do this massively long training workbook during our shift, along with morning weekly quizzes we have to do with training questions. Everyone. I'm pretty sure no other company does this. It's been weeks and i'm still not finished with it.
Paula Divello 2 years ago
I have had this happen to me as a manager I just re-trained the complainant and had her sign off on the training syllabus each time and put it in her file.
#27
HR Partner's husband got into a fight with someone at coat check. As punishment, HR decided to ban hard alcohol at all events for YEARS.
Thus began my hatred of HR.
#28
Dress code
One guy once wore a Tupac middle finger hoodie into a meeting with the most important client ever for my firm and now we have the strictest dress code. Tie, dress shoes, tuxedo/suit and no grey or blue suits only black.
Trophy Husband 2 years ago (edited)
Trump's wife wore a hoodie that said "I don't care" to visit with the migrant children her husband had pulled from their families to punish them for wanting asylum. And she didn't get in trouble at all...
#29
It was in third grade when pokemon was hot again some idiots traded cards and then there parents want to have the card back so they became illegal for everyone
#30
i work at a warehouse. someone cut their finger bad enough that now we have to use a plastic knife and scrapper. i feel like im back in elementary school lol
What do you think ?
LagoonaBlueColleen 2 years ago
We used to be able to bring our own electronic devices as long as it didn't interfere with work, since we tend to have a lot of low work periods. That is until someone downloaded a nasty virus onto one of the work computers. We can still bring light reading and activity materials but no electronics.
Benita Valdez 2 years ago
Was their name Alex and did that virus almost ruin the company and some of their clients? I hate Alex and all the extra bull I had to go through trying to do my work because his dumb a*s just had to use his work computer for personal c**p
Load More Replies...
Ellen Ranks 2 years ago
The team I worked in got relocated to another city 100km away by higher management. Out team manager said, OK, just make sure we are all there on the two days each week we have meetings and for the rest, you can flex work on our old location. Really nice of him. Then he hired a new guy. Right after his trial period was over, new guy started complaining about having to travel to the new location 2 days a week (which he accepted when he took the job). Team manager said, well, we all have to do this, you too. Then new guy took his complaint to higher management. Result: entire team now has to travel to the new location 5 days a week.
Jackie Lulu 2 years ago
Some of these rules are sensible, and others are dumb. Overall, treating people like elementary school kids is demeaning and condescending.
Haley Futch 2 years ago
This is a problem with the corporate world. Instead of punishing the person who does something stupid or harmful, we implement "rules" that make everyone else suffer.
Carol Emory 2 years ago
I was told when I was doing tutoring in the learning lab of a community college that I was not allowed to bring in treats for the staff because the students would expect to be fed. I said I didn't really care who ate it as long as they were fed since some of them don't get a chance to get away from campus to eat what with back to back classes. She said then they shouldn't be going to college. WTF? This included her tutors....?!?
Shay Tracy 2 years ago
I worked at a TV station and we had a no pj pants policy for the same damn reason. I also had an exceeeeessively comfortable couch in my office and told all my friends they were welcome to crash on it if they were stuck working overnight for whatever breaking news reason. Was going well until somebody slept through their next live On Air deadline. I was chewed the hell out the next day and was ordered to keep my office locked from then on out because it was a TV Station and Not A Damn Hotel. So irritating.
TheWickedOne 2 years ago
My work has banned people from drawing d***s on stuff.. huge problem around here.
Gemma jones 2 years ago
We can’t wear vest tops as Muslims complained to Hr. Because apparently we weren’t dressing appropriately. It’s a call centre.
Nikole 2 years ago (edited)
I feel this so hard. At one of my old jobs we were initially able to self-report our hours (including overtime). One moron of a co-worker thought the boss was shorting him. The upshot is that the boss ended owing him like $7.00 and we all had to log into and out of an attendance program every day from then on. The guy quit soon after because everyone hated him. Also his name was Denis (with one "N")... I'm still pissed.
LagoonaBlueColleen 2 years ago
We used to be able to bring our own electronic devices as long as it didn't interfere with work, since we tend to have a lot of low work periods. That is until someone downloaded a nasty virus onto one of the work computers. We can still bring light reading and activity materials but no electronics.
Benita Valdez 2 years ago
Was their name Alex and did that virus almost ruin the company and some of their clients? I hate Alex and all the extra bull I had to go through trying to do my work because his dumb a*s just had to use his work computer for personal c**p
Load More Replies... Ellen Ranks 2 years ago
The team I worked in got relocated to another city 100km away by higher management. Out team manager said, OK, just make sure we are all there on the two days each week we have meetings and for the rest, you can flex work on our old location. Really nice of him. Then he hired a new guy. Right after his trial period was over, new guy started complaining about having to travel to the new location 2 days a week (which he accepted when he took the job). Team manager said, well, we all have to do this, you too. Then new guy took his complaint to higher management. Result: entire team now has to travel to the new location 5 days a week.
Jackie Lulu 2 years ago
Some of these rules are sensible, and others are dumb. Overall, treating people like elementary school kids is demeaning and condescending.
Haley Futch 2 years ago
This is a problem with the corporate world. Instead of punishing the person who does something stupid or harmful, we implement "rules" that make everyone else suffer.
Carol Emory 2 years ago
I was told when I was doing tutoring in the learning lab of a community college that I was not allowed to bring in treats for the staff because the students would expect to be fed. I said I didn't really care who ate it as long as they were fed since some of them don't get a chance to get away from campus to eat what with back to back classes. She said then they shouldn't be going to college. WTF? This included her tutors....?!?
Shay Tracy 2 years ago
I worked at a TV station and we had a no pj pants policy for the same damn reason. I also had an exceeeeessively comfortable couch in my office and told all my friends they were welcome to crash on it if they were stuck working overnight for whatever breaking news reason. Was going well until somebody slept through their next live On Air deadline. I was chewed the hell out the next day and was ordered to keep my office locked from then on out because it was a TV Station and Not A Damn Hotel. So irritating.
TheWickedOne 2 years ago
My work has banned people from drawing d***s on stuff.. huge problem around here.
Gemma jones 2 years ago
We can’t wear vest tops as Muslims complained to Hr. Because apparently we weren’t dressing appropriately. It’s a call centre.
Nikole 2 years ago (edited)
I feel this so hard. At one of my old jobs we were initially able to self-report our hours (including overtime). One moron of a co-worker thought the boss was shorting him. The upshot is that the boss ended owing him like $7.00 and we all had to log into and out of an attendance program every day from then on. The guy quit soon after because everyone hated him. Also his name was Denis (with one "N")... I'm still pissed.
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