Meet the World's Worst Bosses

These nightmare bosses may make your employer look like a saint.

ByABC News
August 29, 2008, 12:41 PM

Sept. 1, 2008— -- Do you think you've got the world's worst boss?

Ha.

On this Labor Day, we take a look at some employers who, by just about every imaginable measure, are worse than your boss -- far worse.

For three years, Working America, the community affiliate of the AFL-CIO, has held a contest asking workers to share their worst boss stories.

One of the best stories – or worst, depending on your point of view – comes from Joan, a woman from Kansas. (The AFL-CIO refused a request by ABC News to interview Joan.)

Joan, an office manager, was asked by her boss to organize an employee outing. She planned a trip to a major league baseball game two months ahead.

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Apparently a lot of planning went into the game: Joan got a group ticket rate, arranged for snacks, carpooling and ticket distribution.

Just one problem: Joan apparently wasn't able to predict the future.

You see, when she planned this outing two months in advance, she didn't realize that it would rain on game day. Uh-oh.

Most bosses would understand that even the best employees can't control the weather, right?

Well, not Joan's boss.

"My boss informed me that I had picked that particular date because I knew it would rain," Joan wrote in her worst-boss submission to the AFL-CIO.

Thanks to a bit of rain and a nasty boss, Joan ended up losing her manager's title and became an assistant manager. She even had her pay cut.

But this waterlogged story doesn't end there.

A few months later, the boss asked her if she would like to organize another picnic. She declined. The boss then went to the company's board and said Joan refused to organize the event.

That story was the top pick from the staff of Working America.

The group chose another equally disturbing story as its top pick. Both get a free vacation and spending money thanks to the labor union.