WE have had our fair share of unreasonable demands from our bosses, but pointing out those demands, no matter how wrong they may seem, can be considered insubordination and could cost you your job.
A woman in China was terminated from her workplace simply because she refused to buy breakfast for her boss.
The woman, identified by the surname Lou, had started working at an educational institution during that time, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
Lou said her supervisor, surnamed Liu, demanded a “hot Americano and an egg”, as quoted, every morning for her breakfast. Not only that, Liu also requested a bottle of water to be readily available for her consumption.
Things took a turn for Lou after she addressed her concerns in a work group chat.
She was “reprimanded” by a group administrator and subsequently terminated by her employer.
Furthermore, Lou was informed by the company’s human resources department that she would not receive any compensation for her termination.
Lou did not give up and sought reimbursement from Liu, expressing that she felt “helpless and absurd” throughout the entire ordeal.
The company faced backlash for their actions and attempted to rectify the situation by firing Liu for abuse of authority and for forcing subordinates to assist her with personal matters.
The company also reinstated Lou, allowing her to resume her usual duties, but it was undisclosed whether she would receive any compensation for her ordeal.
Furthermore, the head of the company’s HR, identified as Wang, revealed that Lou’s termination was Liu’s decision and stated that it was not in line with company policy.
