{
  "id": 8255597,
  "title": "US man fired 2.5 hours into new job after 9 months unemployed over ‘hygiene issues’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/us-man-fired-2-5-hours-into-new-job-after-9-months-unemployed-over",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-18T12:02:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/world/us-man-fired-25-hours-into-new-job-after-9-months-unemployed-over-hygiene-issues-1.500679597"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a shocking turn of events, a New York man named Chris Smalls was dismissed from his new job just 2.5 hours after starting work, allegedly due to \"hygiene issues.\" Smalls, who had been unemployed for nine months before landing the position through a temp agency, strongly denies the accusations. According to his account, he showered the night before his first day and wore a freshly laundered polo shirt. The day began smoothly as he was shown around the office, but later, his supervisor instructed him to take an early lunch. As he exited the building, the temp agency notified him that his employment had been terminated due to hygiene concerns. Neither the company nor his supervisor provided any details about the alleged issue, leaving Smalls perplexed as to what exactly went wrong. He maintains that he was clean and presentable, with the only possible problem being lint on his trousers. Friends also confirmed that he did not have any noticeable odor. In a post on Reddit, Smalls speculated on various explanations but received no clear answers. His story has garnered attention, with many users sympathizing with him and suggesting that the hygiene issue might have been a pretext. However, Smalls remains unconvinced that discrimination played a role. As of now, the company has not publicly explained the specific hygiene concern, leaving the details of Smalls' brief tenure at the company unresolved.",
  "summary": "A New York man’s first day at a new job lasted just 2.5 hours after he was told he was being dismissed over alleged “hygiene issues” — a reason he strongly disputes. Chris Smalls, a Manhattan resident, said he had been unemployed for about nine months before securing the corporate role through a temp agency. The position paid more than his previous job, and he said he was looking forward to…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}