‘I Was Let Go From My New Job After 2.5hrs’: Man Says He Was Fired Over Alleged Hygiene Issues

A man who goes by Havocko on Reddit posted on September 17 on the subreddit r/BoyDinnerDiaries, saying that he had been without a job for almost ten months. But on his first day at a new job, he was dismissed before having lunch after being told he had hygiene problems.

He said he was confused; he had taken a shower, put on a new polo shirt, and believed he was well-groomed in general.

The post that now has over 5,600 upvotes read, "I was let go from my new job after 2.5hrs."

In the post, OP noted that he had been out of a job for so long that he had already used up his unemployment benefits. Eventually, he found a new job through a temp agency, drawn by pay higher than his previous job and what seemed like a good opportunity.

When he went to the office on his first day, a supervisor showed him around and explained his job. At first, the supervisor seemed friendly, and the poster said that he was impressed by the kitchen and bathroom, which were fully stocked. About half an hour later, another employee arrived to take over his training. That trainer then had to step away for a meeting, and the situation grew increasingly unclear from there.

After the new trainer came back, she said that she had some work and asked him to stay there for the time being. But she came back again before noon and told him that he could have an early lunch.

Adhering to the rules, the OP left the building. Thats's when the temp agency called him up to tell him that he was being let go.

The explanation that OP was offered was that he had hygiene issues. Although the poster admitted that his pants might have come from a lint roller, he claimed that he had otherwise been careful and also considered it possible that something trivial, like scratching his nose or burping with his mouth closed, could have played a part.

But as he said, both the company and the supervisor would give no further information. Worse yet, the temp agency also seemed to side with the employer by refusing to reply to him.

As a result, Redditors offered different theories. A few thought that the company might have used cleanliness as an excuse, while others believed it was body/breath odor. A commenter even asked if the OP smoked cigarettes or marijuana, as they have persistent odors. But the latter said that he did not smoke and that he lived in a house where smoking was not allowed in the first place. He also said that he had asked two people whether they could notice an odor and that they had confirmed that they did not.

One commenter suggested he may have used too much body spray, but the OP said he didn't think that was the issue.

Other commenters advised him on his hygiene routine and to make sure that, going forward, he also takes care of his oral hygiene, shoes, etc.

Many also maintained that temp work usually involves uncertainty. Some users said that employers terminate temp jobs quickly and do not give detailed reasons. Others recommended that the OP continue applying via other agencies.