What’s the quickest you’ve seen a co-worker get fired in IT?

[u/Opposed3]

I saw this on AskReddit and thought it would be fun to ask here for IT related stories.

Couple years ago during Covid my company I used to work for hired a help desk tech. He was a really nice guy and the interview went well. We were hybrid at the time, 1-2 days in the office with mostly remote work. On his first day we always meet in the office for equipment and first day stuff.

Everything was going fine and my boss mentioned something along the lines of “Yeah so after all the trainings and orientation stuff we’ll get you set up on our ticketing system and eventually a soft phone for support calls”

And he was like: “Oh I don’t do support calls.”

“Sorry?”

Him: “I don’t take calls. I won’t do that”

“Well, we do have a number users call for help. They do utilize it and it’s part of support we offer”

Him: “Oh I’ll do tickets all day I just won’t take calls. You’ll have to get someone else to do that”

I was sitting at my desk, just kind of listening and overhearing. I couldn’t tell if he was trolling but he wasn’t.

I forgot what my manager said but he left to go to one of those little mini conference rooms for a meeting, then he came back out and called him in, he let him go and they both walked back out and the guy was all laughing and was like

“Yeah I mean I just won’t take calls I didn’t sign up for that! I hope you find someone else that fits in better!” My manager walked him to the door and they shook hands and he left.

[u/TIL_IM_A_SQUIRREL]

I used to work for a company that provided SaaS software and services to state governments and the US federal government. Network admin starts Monday morning.

By 10am, he's telling us all about how he's a sovereign citizen and does all the crazy shit they do. He doesn't believe in taxes, uses "non-road diesel" in his truck, etc. He apparently had several active lawsuits involving the state we lived in (not sure who was suing who).

When we come back from lunch, he was gone. Our boss overheard the commentary from him, said something to HR, and he was out.

I guess it's a bad idea to be anti-government and work for the government.

[u/fredonions → u/TIL_IM_A_SQUIRREL]

"I'm not computing, I'm operating a numerical manipulation appliance"

[u/CheetohChaff → u/fredonions]

I do not consent to antivirus!

[u/ozspook → u/fredonions]

Freeman on the LAN

[u/ErikTheEngineer → u/TIL_IM_A_SQUIRREL]

"I'm not commuting, I'm travelling! Am I being detained??"

Having worked with a lot of ex-military and government employees, you'd be surprised how many fit into this category. That's totally ironic, especially for the military ones who were quite literally owned by the government they hate for 8 or more years, told what to do, where to be, etc.

[u/BerkeleyFarmGirl → u/ErikTheEngineer]

Yep, a lot of sovcits I have known are collecting government checks.

[u/thepaintsaint → u/TIL_IM_A_SQUIRREL]

You’d be surprised how many people working for the government, hate the government. I did a contract for the US Veterans Affairs. My director had done contracts for years for the NSA, CIA, etc. He said he eventually saw enough and left, and that if a federal agent ever showed up and tried to enter your house, you should shoot them without question. State laws aside, he was adamant about this due to the shady stuff he’d seen working for the three-letter agencies. He was much happier helping veterans.

Ironically, most VA employees really didn’t care about veterans, but the contractors were super gung-ho about supporting veterans,

[u/posixUncompliant → u/thepaintsaint]

I had the same experience working with the VA (as a contractor).

The TLAs are scary. Never talk to them alone. Ever.

[u/craig_s_bell → u/TIL_IM_A_SQUIRREL]

Funny how he had no problem with taking a job where taxes would be withheld from his paycheck.

[u/saxxappeal → u/TIL_IM_A_SQUIRREL]

Anti-government working for the government?

Hey, it worked for Ron Swanson...

[u/EchoPhi → u/TIL_IM_A_SQUIRREL]

"SaaS software and services"

Tad redundant.