During Medieval Times, Quitting Your Job Meant Getting Branded on the Forehead
In the 1300’s, after The Black Death, so many people died of the disease that there was a massive labor shortage. Workers had the advantage, and were able to demand higher wages for their work. Even though this was one of the best times to find a job, there were still people who were unemployed. In the Ordinance and Statute of Laborers, the King of England forbade anyone from giving assistance to “idle beggars”. These were able-bodied unemployed people who were seen as being simply lazy, and undeserving of any charity whatsoever. In 1360, King Edward III decreed that if any man tried to quit his job, he could be captured by his employer and branded with the letter “F” on his forehead for “falsity”.