Fired for Demanding a Raise

Fired for Demanding a Raise

Author: Alexis Martinez

Chapter 5: Aftermath and Irony

"What?" Linda shot up from her seat. "What happened? Why are you leaving so suddenly?"

"Linda, my mind’s a mess right now, I’ll explain later."

That night, I put my phone on silent and slept hard for the first time in ages.

The next morning, my phone and Facebook Messenger were blowing up.

David Thompson: "Quitting to strong-arm the company is a cheap move. You’ve had some achievements, but don’t forget that’s because you’re at Starline. Don’t confuse the platform with your own talent. You played yourself; your resignation is approved. Don’t come tomorrow."

Great, I was worried he’d drag things out on purpose.

Rachel Parker: "You ‘worked’ five days this month, but during your employment you damaged a chair and two keyboards, and three plants died at your workstation. After deducting five days’ pay, you still owe the company $1.37. Here’s the settlement sheet, signed by the boss."

Unbelievable. I’ve never heard of normal wear and tear being charged to employees. I couldn’t be bothered to argue, so I sent her a $5 Venmo. Note: "Keep the change."

Emily: "Hey, can I still send you stuff to look over? Lol, you’re the best."

Dream on.

Just then, Linda called. "Jason, how are you doing?"

“I had a good sleep and feel refreshed.” I haven’t slept so soundly in years. Ever since joining Starline, I was even busier on weekends and holidays. I went to bed at stupid o’clock and got up before the mailman. I’m not even thirty, but my body felt fifty.

“The boss called a company-wide meeting early this morning, making all kinds of sarcastic, indirect comments. Said things like, ‘Don’t think seniority means you can challenge the company, and don’t think past achievements mean you can do whatever you want.’”

“Jason, why did you leave so suddenly?”

I looked out my apartment window at the line of red brake lights on Main Street and took a deep breath. Maybe I didn’t have a plan yet, but for the first time in years, I felt like the world was bigger than just Starline’s glass walls. I let the phone rest on my chest, closing my eyes for one more precious minute of peace.

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