The gentleman in Spain was scheduled to receive recognition for his lengthy tenure with the organization.
The concept of The Invisible Man is well-known, but have you ever considered the idea of an invisible employee?
In a society where numerous individuals dream of being able to skip work for a day or two, a man in Spain elevated the concept to a new extreme.
Joaquín García, aged 69, managed to avoid going to work for six years without anyone realizing it—until, quite ironically, he received an award for his lengthy service.
The employee hadn’t come to work for six years (Getty stock images)
The sequence of events began in a harmless manner. Joaquín, who worked as a building supervisor at a water treatment facility in Cádiz, Spain, had served the local government for over two decades. As the years passed, the stress levels in the workplace escalated, prompting Joaquín to take an unconventional route to deal with it: he decided to cease attending work altogether.
Surprisingly, this strategy proved effective for a full six years. Throughout this period, Joaquín continued to receive his yearly salary of $41,500, despite not performing any work whatsoever.
It may be questioned how such an occurrence managed to escape detection. The explanation can be found in a combination of bureaucratic negligence, the intricate organization of the office environment, and a significant amount of good fortune.
Joaquín’s nonattendance went unnoticed as a result of a confusion between two departments, with each believing the other was in charge of supervising his responsibilities.
Joaquín’s supervisors were in for a shock when they nominated him for an award recognizing his 20 years of service to the company, only to find out that he hadn’t been in the office for six years when they called him in for the ceremony.
The worker who was not present has now been instructed to reimburse $30,000, which is the highest amount he could face as a penalty, as per the report by the BBC.
The man’s absence wasn’t noticed for six years (Getty stock images)
Joaquín confessed to being unemployed when asked, citing workplace bullying as the reason for his absence. He explained that he had chosen to focus on studying philosophy during this period of unexpected leave to avoid further confrontation.
Deputy mayor Jorge Blas informed Spanish newspaper El Mundo that he questioned whether the individual was still employed, retired, or deceased. However, the payroll indicated that he was still being paid.
Blas recounted how he contacted him and questioned him about his actions from the day before, the month prior, and the month before that. Unfortunately, he was at a loss for words.
Joaquín was ultimately fined $30,000 for his extended absence, the highest possible penalty according to the BBC. Despite this, he initiated a petition contesting the fine, with some individuals applauding his boldness and finding amusement in the absurdity of the situation.
The next time you find yourself fantasizing about taking a break from work, think of Joaquín García, the man who transformed an unintentional extended leave into a legendary story.
Do not anticipate receiving any accolades if you choose to emulate his actions.
Featured Image Credit: Getty stock images
