This past year has been rough for many people — but arguably, it’s been even rougher for these seven people who got laid off from their Dutch jobs for very … interesting reasons.
RTL Nieuws has compiled a list ranging from #MeToo cases to innocent mistakes that cost people their jobs — and we’re here for it. Buckle up, because this is about to be a wild ride. 🎢
1. The helpful bank teller
If you thought helping out a customer at work couldn’t go wrong, think again. As it turns out, it could cost you your job. That’s what happened to an ABN Amro teller at Schiphol, who had been working for the company for 18 years.
A money laundering regulation means employees are no longer allowed to exchange customers’ €500 bills. However, to help one customer anyways, the woman advised him to buy a one-dollar bill. This way,she could give him his change in smaller banknotes. 👀
The boss did not agree with the employee’s helpful methods, so she was immediately let go — and without severance pay.
2. Work harder, not smarter
Some people love working from home — others hate it. This IT employee thought he knew how to make the most of it by taking on a second full-time job after his company had gone remote due to the pandemic.
READ MORE | Dutchman awarded €75,000 after US company tried to force him to activate webcam
The man was almost exclusively working from home, meaning neither of his employers knew that he was secretly cheating on them. With two salaries, he could live a lavish life (if he managed to find time for it, that is).
But of course, all good things come to an end, and the man’s double life was eventually found out. He was served not only two resignation letters, but also a hefty €120,000 fine. 💸
3. Knee complaints with a side of unemployment
A Utrecht installation company was allowed to fire one of their mechanics who had claimed he was unable to work due to severe knee complaints. He was allegedly unable to walk, stand, lift and kneel. 🧎
READ MORE | Employee fired after being caught coughing at work
Before you write a hateful LinkedIn post, it’s worth hearing the rest of this story.
After his boss had learned that someone had spotted the mechanic driving a car, he decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. Hollywood movie style, the employer hired detectives to follow the mechanic around for a total of three days — and their findings were … interesting. 🔍
After the man was filmed doing work around his new house and driving a car, he was sacked immediately.
4. Daylight robbery (no, literally)
At a construction company in Hoofddorp, an employee was fired for his … work ethic. The man always clocked in and out on time, but he seemed to have misunderstood the fact that he was meant to work during the hours in between. 🤷♂️
READ MORE | Dutch woman refuels her car with her husband’s company fuel pass — and he gets fired
On at least nineteen days, the employee reportedly left the work premises through the emergency exit — only to sneak in later to clock out again.
But the man’s genius was put to an end after it was noticed that the emergency door had been left open. He was fired for stolen time, and his boss made him head for the exit one last time.
5. Permanent contracts? Nee!
University instructor Marijn Scholte of the faculty of social sciences at Utrecht University took the institution to court after his temporary contract expired. “Disposable teachers,” like himself and many of his colleagues, should be a thing of the past, Marijn argued. 🙅♂️
Little progress has been made at Dutch universities when it comes to reducing the number of temporary contracts issued to staff. Over half of all teaching staff still have a contract that runs out on a specific date.https://t.co/crw2KX5CF0 pic.twitter.com/3E7rEUxXMT
— HOP (@hopersbureau) November 23, 2020
Unfortunately, the Utrecht subdistrict court ruled against Marijn, and allowed the termination of his employment.
6. Sexual assault ‘as a joke’
After 37 years of employment, a 61-year-old carpenter was fired for “jokingly” touching the breasts of a female colleague. Neither the woman nor their employer thought it funny, and the carpenter was immediately dismissed — rightfully so.
READ MORE | In other news, a video of a Dutch trucker ‘masturbating’ on the A7 went viral
Despite losing his job, the man had one thing left, and it was his audacity. He demanded about €70,000 in severance pay, which was denied by the court.
7. Physical person? More like sexual assaulter
Lastly, and continuing in the #MeToo vein, the case of the director of a South-Holland metal company. After some employees filed a report, it came to light that the man had been forcing himself onto younger male employees for years, with sexual comments and instances of groping.
The director, who described himself as a “physical person,” was ruled by the court to be more of a sexual assaulter. He was fired from his job, but managed to escape a prison sentence with a laughable 50 hours of community service.
What do you think of these seven cases? Let us know in the comments!
The title of this article indicates insufficient understanding of the rule of law. The reasons for the firing were not “dang ridiculous stuff.” Five were criminal offenses. I sympathize with the bank teller, but doubt that she was actually fired for the offense cited. And I sympathize with the throw away university employees. A better title for this article would have been “How to lose your job.”