Annie takes a week off work when her son gets sick. However, her boss is waiting for her in the office with a policeman and some handcuffs when she gets back.
You know how sometimes you imagine that just because you worked there for ten years, you’d be useful to the company?
Yes. No.
I didn’t experience that.
Permit me to explain everything to you.
I have ten years of experience working for a corporation. I started as a marketing intern right out of college and worked my way up the corporate ladder while my compensation increased incredibly slowly.
Kenny, my five-year-old son, got really sick one day. He continued to throw up and had a severe fever. I mean, that would annoy any mother.
I could not possibly leave him with a babysitter at home. When the time came, I had to be there, keeping an eye on him and prepared to take him to the doctor.
I made the decision to call my supervisor and be honest with him. I also knew it couldn’t be a problem because I hadn’t used up my annual leave.
My son was still in bed as I turned to leave.
“Hi, Mr. Williams,” I said when he answered on the first ring. “My son is sick, and I need to be with him. I’m going to take the week off to care for him. I haven’t used any of my leave yet.”
Before he lost control, there was a brief period of silence.
e you serious, Annie?” he shouted. “We have our annual general meeting in two days, and you’re abandoning me now? You know I need the marketing reports.”
“I’m sorry, Sir,” I said. “But I just can’t come in. And the reports are done. I emailed them to you yesterday morning.”
He hung up the phone without bothering to respond.
Because my employer was a hot-headed man who frequently acted rudely and impulsively, I didn’t overthink it.
Then, all of my focus was directed toward my child while I prepared some soup for Kenny.
I entered my office a week later, after Kenny had recovered and was back at school.
My supervisor was sitting in my chair, clapping his hands gently and wearing a sinister smile.
“Annie,” he said. “Welcome back. I have a surprise for you.”
An officer in a uniform walked into the room with handcuffs ready before I could even respond.
“Annie Mills,” he barked. “You have the right to remain silent…”
My body felt lifeless and my heart was racing as he read my rights one more time.
“What is going on?” I gasped, suddenly unable to breathe.
“Annie, it has come to my attention that you don’t have a son. And now, you’re going to be punished. Well played, Annie, but you got caught in your lies.”
My thoughts raced, attempting to make sense of what was going on. What my employer was talking about, I had no notion. Obviously, I was a father. My son’s father had abandoned us as soon as he found out we were expecting, leaving me a single mother.
I was wondering when things had gone so wrong as I was being led out of the office.
I pinched my wrist nervously to make sure I was awake while I sat in the police cruiser.
My phone call was turned down when we arrived at the station; the officer kept glaring at me.
The policeman tossed me into a detention cell with brown mold growing on the walls and a musty smell. I had no idea what to do. How would anyone know I was here if I was not allowed to call? After school, my neighbor would watch Kenny until I came home. But I was the only thing Kenny had.
Another cop passed by the holding cell after what seemed like hours.
“Please,” I said, running up to the bars. “I need to make my phone call.”
She nodded and showed me where the pay phone was. I called Mia, my closest friend. She was my only option, even though I knew I couldn’t pay her legal services.
“Mia,” I said quickly, not knowing how much time I had. “I’ve been arrested. I need you.”
When Mia arrived at the station, they let her see me right away.
The story gets more complex now.
Mia accepted my case right away.
“There’s something shady going on here,” she stated.
Needless to say, a few voices were raised when she spoke with a few of the cops.
She eventually managed to free me, and I returned home to Kenny. She then conducted some research.
It turns out that Mr. Williams was responsible for planning everything. He had bought the arrest of me from the policeman. As per the terms of our organization’s contracts, an employee’s employment will end if they are arrested, suspected of committing a crime, or involved in any criminal activity; the company will then take possession of any due money.
It was my unpaid wage in this instance.
“Are you sure?” I asked Mia when she came over, and she told me everything. Including emails from Mr. Williams to the police officer.
“Yes,” she said, helping herself to dinner. “It’s all a done deal now. Prison will be his home for the foreseeable future.”
I smiled.
Without asking for anything in return, this woman generously freed me from prison. Furthermore, I am aware that Kenny and I will always owe her.
In an attempt to avoid a lawsuit and to preserve face, the corporation offered me $40,000 in good faith and moral compensation, saying that Mr. Williams acted alone.
Even though I was only in a holding cell for a few hours, I was still somewhat afraid. Without Mia’s faith in the legal system, I would still be waiting for an explanation and justice. For that, I am thankful.
I now work with Mia, handling PR and marketing needs for her company as needed. I feel secure in my job, which is solid. Above all, I don’t have to worry about who I work for in order to support my son.
Have you experienced anything as absurd at work?
Here’s an additional tale for you: Have you ever worked for a poisonous boss? If not, consider yourself fortunate. Because of toxic and cruel supervisors, a lot of people who work in the industry suffer in silence; some even decide to quit for the sake of their mental health.