The best stories about the worst employees. Hosted by Ken Monroe, CEO of Bchex, The Bad Hire Podcast unpacks the funniest, strangest, and most shocking hiring stories from offices, job sites, and teams everywhere. From outrageous résumé lies to first-day meltdowns, these tales will make you laugh, cringe, and say, 'there's no way that's true.' Not just for HR or recruiters — it's for anyone who's worked with that coworker or made a hire they'll never forget.
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What do you do when an employee calls in claiming she was just carjacked and needs the entire week off… only for her boss to call her actual phone 30 seconds later and hear, “Hey, I’m driving. Who’s this?”
In Episode 47 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Morgan, and Nathan break down another round of unbelievable workplace stories — from an employee who intentionally shot himself with a nail gun because of a wasp to a senior developer caught downloading five years of company source code onto his personal USB drive. The Bad Hire - Episode 47 - Video .txt
This episode has fake emergencies, terrible judgment, security disasters, and hiring lessons that prove sometimes the truth is stranger than anything you could make up.
You’ll hear:
– A production worker who shot himself in the hand with a nail gun trying to kill a wasp
– A client referral who conveniently left out a serious felony conviction
– An employee who faked an entire carjacking to get a week off
– Alexandra’s perspective on why broken hiring processes create bad hires
– A Sonic employee who handed a customer’s used drink directly to a health inspector
– An IT employee who dropped a monitor, then cursed out his manager before the manager could even react
– Judith’s reminder of why you should never skip that final reference check
– A senior developer caught copying five years of proprietary source code onto a personal USB drive
– Why background checks can uncover information an interview never will
From ridiculous split-second decisions to potential threats to an entire company’s intellectual property, Episode 47 is a reminder that hiring is about much more than finding someone who interviews well.
💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.
Key Takeaways:
• A great interview can’t reveal everything about a candidate.
• Reference checks are worth finishing — even when the first two are perfect.
• Security policies only work when employees actually follow them.
• How someone reacts to a mistake can reveal more than the mistake itself.
• Strong hiring processes require both HR expertise and department-level knowledge.
⸻
Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com
He Blew $4,000 on the Company Card His First Day
Season 1 · Episode 46
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 • Duration 35:52
What do you do when a brand-new employee gets a company credit card on his first day… disappears at lunch… and comes back with $4,000 worth of suits, ties, and shoes?
In Episode 46 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Emma, and Kylie break down another round of unbelievable workplace stories — from an employee with an impossible streak of family emergencies to a seven-figure executive who simply never showed up for his first day.
This episode proves bad hires can happen at every level.
You’ll hear:
– A new manager hit with one unbelievable excuse after another
– A recruiter’s experience inside an incredibly toxic staffing company
– An employee who accidentally exposed confidential company work on social media
– A new hire who spent $4,000 on clothes using his company card
– A seven-figure executive who ghosted his own welcome event
– An employee who went to lunch, went home, and casually returned days later
– A publishing employee who stole more than 1,000 unpublished manuscripts
– Two retail employees accused of stealing nearly $44,000 in merchandise
– And an employee who paid to run a background check on his own manager
From ridiculous first-day decisions to sophisticated schemes that lasted years, these stories show just how unpredictable hiring can get.
💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.
Her Text to Her Boss Got Her Fired
Season 1 · Episode 45
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 • Duration 42:20
What do you do when an employee going through an incredibly difficult time starts crossing the line with her much-younger manager?
In Episode 45 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Morgan, and Corey break down another round of unbelievable workplace stories — including a $1.7 million fraud scheme, an employee with increasingly ridiculous excuses for being hours late, and a new hire who takes her relationship with her manager way too far.
The stories range from funny and bizarre to genuinely difficult situations where compassion and accountability collide.
You’ll hear:
A new hire who misrepresented whether she could physically handle the job
Candidates claiming degrees they hadn’t actually earned yet
A state employee who helped funnel $1.7 million through fraudulent claims
Why one recruiter always calls the third reference
An employee who blamed her GPS for being hours late every day
An employee claiming her catalytic converter was stolen — while working for an EV manufacturer
A CEO whose compassion for a struggling employee eventually came back to hurt him
A grieving employee who crossed a major boundary with her younger manager
A teacher who completely ghosted before his first day — then filed for unemployment
These aren’t just crazy stories. They’re lessons about verification, boundaries, accountability, compassion, and what happens when organizations ignore warning signs.
He Planted a Digital Bomb Before Getting Fired
Season 1 · Episode 44
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 • Duration 23:31
What happens when a software developer spends years secretly building a “kill switch” designed to cripple the company the moment he’s fired?
In Episode 44 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Nathan, and Morgan react to some of the most unbelievable hiring stories yet—from a programmer who sabotaged his employer with malicious code, to fake nurses who fooled healthcare systems, and a CEO who finally fired the most entitled employee he’d ever managed.
These stories prove that hiring the wrong person can cost far more than just a paycheck.
You’ll hear:
A developer who planted malicious code that activated after he was terminated
A CEO’s most satisfying firing after years of entitlement
A fake nurse who worked at more than 40 healthcare facilities using stolen credentials
Another healthcare worker who used someone else’s license number to get hired
Why proper background checks and credential verification matter more than ever
These aren’t just crazy stories—they’re reminders that trust, verification, and accountability protect organizations from catastrophic mistakes.
💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.
Key Takeaways:
Insider threats can be more dangerous than outside attacks.
Great technical skills don’t replace integrity.
Credential verification saves companies from massive liability.
Hiring shortcuts can have life-changing consequences.
She Stole for 10 Years Before Anyone Noticed
Season 1 · Episode 43
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 • Duration 41:26
What do you do when your top employee disappears without a trace… only to discover weeks later that he was secretly in witness protection?
In Episode 43 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Nathan, and Morgan react to some of the wildest workplace stories yet — from a trusted employee who quietly stole hundreds of thousands from a newspaper, to a disappearing salesman whose real identity shocked everyone, to multiple real business owners sharing the worst hires they’ve ever experienced.
This episode is packed with fraud, unbelievable disappearances, hiring lessons, and behind-the-scenes stories from business leaders who’ve lived through it.
You’ll hear:
– A business manager who embezzled money for nearly a decade
– A salesman who suddenly disappeared… because he was in witness protection
– A law firm owner on learning to become a better manager
– An employee secretly skimming affiliate commissions
– A bookkeeper who stole $2.1 million using a church member’s identity
– A communications executive caught stealing coworkers’ credit cards
– A first-day employee who spent an hour on speakerphone during training
She Used 20 Fake Names to Get Hired
Season 1 · Episode 42
Wednesday, July 22, 2026 • Duration 41:27
How does someone use 20 aliases, seven Social Security numbers, and fake credentials to get hired over and over again?
In Episode 42 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Morgan, and Emma react to some of the most unbelievable hiring failures yet—including a fake nurse who treated thousands of patients, a hospital employee who stole millions in medical supplies, and a school district that knowingly hired a teacher awaiting trial on multiple felony charges.
From shocking fraud to failures in background screening, these stories reveal what can happen when hiring safeguards break down.
You’ll hear:
A fake nurse who used stolen identities to work across multiple states
A hospital employee who stole millions in medical supplies
A police department evidence manager stealing time from taxpayers
A school district hiring someone awaiting felony charges
A security company sabotaged from the inside by its own scheduler
Why verification matters more than ever in today’s hiring environment
💸 Have your own unbelievable hiring story? Submit it at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.
Key Takeaways:
Verify credentials—not just license numbers.
Never skip your hiring process because you’re under pressure.
Internal sabotage can be just as damaging as external fraud.
Small hiring shortcuts can lead to massive consequences.
Strong background screening protects employees, customers, and organizations.
⸻ Connect with Us: 🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com📧 Email: 📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire—Sponsored by BChex:Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.www.bchex.io—🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com
The Worst Fake Résumé We’ve Ever Seen
Season 1 · Episode 41
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 • Duration 42:40
What happens when a “perfect” candidate can’t even flip a piece of toast?
In Episode 41 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Morgan, and Emma react to another round of unbelievable listener-submitted hiring disasters—from fake résumés and sleeping employees to toxic managers and candidates who lie about where they’re from.
This episode is packed with stories that prove a polished résumé means nothing if the skills—and character—aren’t real.
You’ll hear:
A chef whose entire résumé was fabricated
An employee who literally slept under her desk
A manager who promoted himself while the real boss was away
A fake local who got caught in seconds during an interview
An employee who disappeared after inventing excuse after excuse
A culture-killing salesperson everyone was warned not to hire
Every story comes with practical lessons about hiring, leadership, and why skipping your hiring process almost always comes back to bite you.
She Stole $40 Million Without Anyone Noticing
Season 1 · Episode 40
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 • Duration 38:47
How does someone steal $38.7 million from a company… without anyone noticing for years?
In Episode 40 of The Bad Hire, Ken and the team react to unbelievable hiring disasters and workplace scandals—including one of the largest employee theft stories you’ll ever hear.
From massive embezzlement to fake résumés, dangerous workplace mistakes, and employees who simply disappear, this episode proves that one bad hire can cost far more than anyone expects.
You’ll hear:
– The employee who stole $38.7 million before anyone caught on
– A new hire whose lies unraveled almost immediately
– A workplace mistake that could have ended in disaster
– Employees who disappeared without warning
– The costly consequences of ignoring red flags
– Leadership lessons from real hiring failures
These stories aren’t just unbelievable—they reveal the warning signs every leader, recruiter, and hiring manager should know.
💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.
Key Takeaways:
• Trust should always be backed by verification.
• Small red flags often become massive problems.
• Internal controls protect companies from costly fraud.
• Great hiring requires more than a great résumé.
He Stole $200,000 on His First Day
Season 1 · Episode 39
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 • Duration 39:58
What happens when an armored truck employee steals $200,000 on his very first shift?
In Episode 39 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Nathan, and Emma react to another collection of unbelievable hiring disasters—from massive payroll fraud and fake résumés to executives who should’ve never passed a background check.
This episode proves that one bad hire can cost a company hundreds of thousands of dollars… sometimes before their first week is over.
You’ll hear:
A 19-year-old who stole $200,000 on his first day driving an armored truck
A payroll employee who forged 281 fake paychecks totaling over $205,000
A maintenance supervisor fired after one week for harassment and inappropriate content
A candidate who blamed his criminal history on his “twin brother”
An HR employee secretly working six full-time jobs at once
A hospital executive whose federal fraud conviction slipped through the hiring process
A recruiter whose candidate disappeared during lunch… and started another job
A fake Buckingham Palace chef who fooled an entire restaurant
A candidate who claimed their college had “closed down” to avoid an education verification
These stories aren’t just entertaining—they reveal why hiring, screening, and trusting the wrong person can become incredibly expensive.
💸 Have your own hiring horror story? Submit it at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.
Key Takeaways:
One bad hire can create massive financial losses.
He Faked His Mom’s Death to Get Out of Work
Season 1 · Episode 38
Thursday, June 25, 2026 • Duration 30:22
What happens when an employee claims his brother died, his mom passed away, his car was stolen, and he got COVID multiple times… only for everyone to discover it was all a lie?
In Episode 38 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Morgan, and Emma react to listener-submitted stories involving fake credentials, viral firings, toxic high performers, and one employee whose excuses became more unbelievable with every passing week.
This episode also features leadership expert Robert “Ducey” Staub, who shares a cautionary tale about bypassing the hiring process and bringing in a toxic employee who nearly turned an entire team against him.
You’ll hear:
– The student newspaper that exposed a principal’s fake degrees
– A viral Cloudflare termination that sparked internet outrage
– Why diploma mills continue fooling employers
– A leadership expert’s biggest hiring mistake
– The dangers of hiring based on instinct alone
– An employee whose lies spiraled completely out of control
These stories aren’t just entertaining—they’re lessons in accountability, integrity, and why hiring shortcuts rarely end well.
💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.
Key Takeaways:
• Character issues eventually reveal themselves.
Key Takeaways:
• A great interview doesn’t guarantee a great employee.
• Clear policies mean nothing if employees choose to ignore them.
• Bad hires can create security risks far beyond poor performance.
• Senior-level hires can flame out just as spectacularly as entry-level ones.
• Sometimes the biggest red flags appear immediately.
⸻
Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com
💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.
Key Takeaways:
Compassion and professional boundaries have to coexist.
References are only useful if you actually call them.
Employees with financial authority still need oversight.
Repeated excuses eventually become a pattern.
A great résumé doesn’t guarantee a great hire.
⸻
Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com
Every organization needs strong hiring and background check processes.
⸻
Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com
These aren’t just unbelievable stories—they’re reminders that trust must be earned, oversight matters, and sometimes the craziest hires aren’t who you expect.
💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.
Key Takeaways:
• Trust should always be paired with accountability.
• Internal controls can prevent devastating fraud.
• Great résumés don’t guarantee great employees.
• Leadership requires self-awareness and constant growth.
• Sometimes the strangest stories are completely true.
⸻
Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com
💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.
Key Takeaways:
Skills should always be verified—not assumed.
Great résumés don’t replace real assessments.
Character issues reveal themselves quickly.
Following your hiring process protects everyone.
One bad hire can impact an entire team.
⸻
Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com
• One bad hire can impact an entire organization.
⸻
Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com
Background checks only work if you’re running the right searches.
Confidence on paper doesn’t always translate to integrity.
Employment verification matters more than most companies realize.
Honesty is always easier than trying to cover a lie.
⸻ Connect with Us: 🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com 📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com 📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod 🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire — Sponsored by BChex: Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered. www.bchex.io — 🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com
• Verification matters more than assumptions.
• Toxic high performers can damage entire teams.
• Hiring shortcuts often create expensive problems.
• The more lies someone tells, the harder they are to maintain.
⸻
Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com
