A restaurant manager fired his employee over email just 20 minutes after fist bumping them goodbye at the end of their shift, according to a post that went viral on Monday.
The worker shared a screenshot of the alleged termination email on Reddit's popular "Antiwork" forum, posting anonymously as u/Leading_Highlight244. The image swiftly racked up over 37,000 votes and thousands of aghast reactions online.
"This is how my manager fired me, 20 minutes after I left my shift with him," claimed the employee. The screenshot email opened with a line saying ominously, "Confidential Do Not Distribute."
Below, the manager wrote, "I wanted to let you know that I have decided to terminate your employment at The Local Draught House. Your results, inability to hit deadlines with workbright, and not completing the safe serv course just don't align with The Local. Your last paycheck will be deposited 7/20/22. Please refrain from coming to any Local Draught House in the future."
The worker explained to Reddit that they had been employed for a month at The Local Draught House, a restaurant and bar with four locations in Florida.
"I was never sent the Safe Serv course," the employee said. "I also had already submitted a different responsible serving certificate and they denied it."
They added, "My 'results' are completely unknown to me because their metrics are ridiculous. They're a dive bar who serves paninis, and if you don't sell a certain number per day then I guess you're fired?"
The manager had fist bumped the employee as they clocked out that day, they said.
Redditors React
The post sparked an outcry online, with a flood of comments calling the boss "spineless," "gutless," and "cowardly."
"Coward," declared a comment with nearly 4,000 votes. "I've been fired like this. They're saving you a lot of time."
"Can't even get promoted to customer anymore," said another wry comment.
A few readers even suggested that the employee seek revenge on their former boss.
"You didn't check your email," said one. "Go in tomorrow and clock in for your shift. Force him to quit being such a little b*tch."
Since the food service industry was ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants have continued to struggle with staffing across the country. Although the workforce is slowly recovering, eating and drinking establishments are still down 750,000 jobs—or 6.1 percent—from pre-pandemic levels, according to the National Restaurant Association.
The short staffing has been felt by customers, who have complained about service at an increasing rate. In the first quarter of this year, patrons mentioned short staffing 229 percent more often in Yelp reviews than during the same period last year, according to Yelp data. Long waits were mentioned 23 percent more often.
Newsweek reached out to u/Leading_Highlight244 and The Local Draught House for comment.
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