We can’t deny it: 2023 was a tough year. But unlike these eight people, at least we didn’t get fired from our jobs for some dang ridiculous reasons.
RTL Nieuws has picked out the strangest reasons Dutch employees were let go in 2023 — and while we feel bad for some of them, it makes for quite an interesting read.
1. A ‘roast’ that went too far
After having worked at the same company for 28 years, one Dutch carpenter thought it would be a good idea to give a speech at a company party.
Sounds normal, except the man didn’t use the speech to express words of gratitude, but instead to poep all over his company’s poor communication and spending habits.
He even took it as far as calling one of the board members as “faithful as a bitch in heat”. 😳
As a thank you for his heartfelt speech, the man was served resignation papers. He maintains that his speech was intended as a playful “roast” — and that he regrets what he said.
2. A cocktail of ashes
In a sad accident, a funeral care worker accidentally mixed the ashes of two cremated bodies. Oeps.
Everybody makes mistakes, right? Yes, and that’s why the woman initially got away with just a reproof. Sounds reasonable.
READ MORE | Losing your job in the Netherlands: what you should know (and the next steps)
Well, the woman didn’t like being reprimanded, and eventually, the work relationship was so damaged that the case had to be taken to court.
Here, a judge saw no other way than to force the woman to leave her job.
3. Refusal of work? More like an inability to work
A company from Limburg tried to fire an employee for not working while he was on sick leave.
Wait, what? You read that right. The roadworker, who had just suffered a fall, didn’t show up to work for a week — as advised by his huisarts.
He called in sick, but his employer didn’t take it well. The employee was let go for “refusal of work”.
READ MORE | Sick leave in the Netherlands: the easy guide [2024]
Luckily, this bizarre story has a happy ending.
According to a court hearing, the worker should not have been fired — and although he didn’t get his job back, he was paid €15,000 in severance.
4. Three jobs at once
Ever since the pandemic, we occasionally hear stories of people working two remote jobs at the same time.
This Dutchman took this to the next level by working not two but three full-time jobs for three different housing corporations (talk about time-management skills!).
The eager man, however, was not rewarded for his work appetite, as RTL Nieuws writes.
He was dealt not only three dismissals but also a bill of €90,000 to repay the salaries of two of the three employers.
5. An expensive visit to the Efteling
Kids love Efteling. Adults love Efteling. Everybody loves Efteling.
So naturally, 15 students from an Amsterdam special needs school were delighted when their teacher took them to Efteling.
READ MORE | Finding a job in Amsterdam: the ultimate guide [2023]
What they didn’t know was that the teacher was doing this in secret, without the knowledge of the school or the parents.
In reality, the class was meant to visit the Space Expo in Noordwijk. The result? The teacher was let go.
6. Work smarter, not harder
After getting divorced, the employee of a technical wholesaler was caught in a pickle: he needed someone to walk his dog, but he couldn’t leave work to do so.
To help the employee out, his company offered to pay a monthly compensation of €108 to help pay for a dog walker.
The man pocketed the money, called up the ex-wife, and arranged for her to walk the dog on the days he worked. In the meantime, he continued to charge his employer for the compensation.
Once found out, the man was sent home to his pup for good. His appeal was rejected by a court twice.
7. Stealing a bike saddle? Big no-no
Even the smallest offence can have far-reaching consequences in employment law.
This was proven when a municipality official from Zuidplas lost his job after 12 impeccable years of employment.
The small offence in question? He replaced his broken bicycle saddle with a saddle that he found in one of the municipality’s junk rooms.
8. The ‘free’ lunch that cost €10,000
A department leader at Jumbo lost her job after a whopping 42 years of employment. The culprit? A sandwich.
The woman regularly treated herself to a lekker Jumbo sandwich during her shifts — but she never paid for any of them.
After decades of work, Jumbo fired her — and charged her €10,000 in damage payment to cover for not just the estimated costs of the sandwiches she ate, but also for the company detectives who were hired to follow her around and spy on her sandwich-loving-habits.
Have you heard of any other crazy dismissal stories? Share them in the comments!