US man claims he was fired just 2.5 hours into new job over 'hygiene issue' after 9 months of unemployment

A New York man who had spent nearly 10 months looking for work says his new job lasted just 2.5 hours after a staffing agency told him he was being let go over alleged “hygiene issues”.

The man, who uses the Reddit username Havocko, said he was left confused because he had showered, worn a brand-new shirt and believed he was well groomed on his first day. New York Post identified him as 35-year-old Chris Smalls. He also clarified in the comments that he is Black and not Indian, and the office was diverse.The man shared the experience in a post on Reddit's r/BoyDinnerDiaries sparking a discussion about what may have happened during his brief time at the workplace.According to his account, he had been unemployed for about nine and a half months and had already run out of unemployment benefits when he finally secured a new position through a temp agency. He said the job paid more than his previous one and appeared to be a good opportunity.

The night before starting, he said he took a shower and kept out a brand-new polo shirt for the following morning.His first few hours at the company initially appeared to go smoothly.

A supervisor showed him around the new office, which he said had facilities he had not encountered at previous workplaces, including a stocked kitchen and bathroom.The supervisor explained the job and, around 10am, another employee took over his training.Things changed shortly afterwards.The supervisor told him he could take an early lunch before noon. She later called his trainer into a meeting. When the trainer returned, she told him she had other work to complete and asked him to sit there for the time being.The supervisor again told him to take an early lunch before noon.As he was leaving the building, however, the temp agency called him.He was told that his assignment was being terminated because of “hygiene issues”.The man said he was stunned by the explanation. In his Reddit post, he said he had showered before going to work, was well groomed and had deliberately worn a new polo shirt. He said that, at most, his trousers might have needed a lint roller.

'I honestly don't know'

The lack of a specific explanation appears to have been what troubled him most.In follow-up comments and in an interview with the New York Post, he said the staffing agency representative who informed him of the dismissal also appeared uncertain about what exactly had happened. He said she asked what he had been wearing but did not tell him what aspect of his hygiene had allegedly caused concern.The man then tried to work out whether there was something he had done during those first few hours that he was unaware of.He wondered whether an ordinary action, such as scratching his nose, might have been misinterpreted. He also questioned whether someone might have noticed him burping.“I honestly don't know,” he wrote, saying he had received no closure.He also asked people close to him whether they had noticed any unusual smell. According to his account, two friends told him they did not detect body odour.He said he brushes and flosses regularly and had visited a dentist during the summer.

He also said he lives with a particularly clean roommate and keeps his home clean despite having a cat and a dog.

Reddit users debate what happened

The post prompted a range of reactions online.Some Reddit users suggested that the stated reason might not have been the real reason for the dismissal, while others said it was possible the man had an odour he was unaware of.The man also said the experience was particularly difficult because he had spent months trying to find employment and had been looking forward to starting the new job.According to the New York Post, he has not been offered another assignment by the staffing agency and said he had not yet been paid for the short period he worked.