He listened with a polite smile, thanked her for bringing the matter to his attention, and told her not to worry.
Two days later, Clara’s access to the financial system was suspended.
A week after that, she was summoned to Human Resources and told that her position had been eliminated as part of a restructuring.
When she questioned the timing, she was accused of mishandling confidential information.
When she requested copies of the records she had reviewed, she was told that company policy prohibited her from retaining them.
And when she tried to defend herself, the regional HR director warned her that further complaints could damage her professional reputation.
Clara had been too exhausted and frightened to fight them properly.
She was a single mother with a baby who depended entirely on her. Legal representation was expensive, rent was due, and every week without a job pushed her closer to disaster.
