A man on the phone in an office building: In Sweden, an employee was fired on his first day of work. (Symbolic image) (Source: IMAGO/Uwe Umstätter/imago)Image: www.imago-images.de
A new employee apparently couldn’t find the changing room on the first day. He was fired before he even started work.
July 25, 2026, 8:24 p.mJuly 25, 2026, 8:24 p.m
A Swedish care operator with several old people’s homes in the Stockholm area has been reported to the Swedish Anti-Discrimination Authority (DO). The accusation: An employee is said to have been fired on the first day of his new job – after a phone call that only lasted 47 seconds.
According to the advertisement, which was initially reported by the local media “Mitt i”, the person concerned showed up shortly before the start of his first day at work in order to be able to change in time. However, he couldn’t find the changing room and was reportedly ignored when he asked for help. He then felt frightened and retreated into the stairwell to compose himself.
As his shift was approaching, he reportedly texted his supervisor, explaining the situation and apologizing. The boss called back – and told him that you couldn’t hire someone if you couldn’t be sure the person would show up for their shifts. When the employee asked for five minutes to compose himself, the employment relationship was terminated. The conversation lasted 47 seconds.
Employees are said to have reported stress
Particularly explosive: The person concerned states that he had already openly communicated in the interview that he sometimes gets stressed in new situations and then needs a few minutes to compose himself. The supervisor is said to have described this as not being a problem at the time.
“So I really didn’t think it would be a problem and that’s why I was honest about how I was feeling that morning,” the employee wrote in his complaint to the discrimination agency.
At the time of the report, the employee stated that he had not yet received written notice of termination. Upon request, the employer informed “Mitt i” by email that they do not comment on personnel matters in individual cases. «We always take questions about discrimination and the working environment seriously. Matters are always handled in accordance with applicable legislation and our internal policies.”