Read Beyond Justice for Free Online Page B

life insurance benefits."
    "Of course."
    The next few words were difficult to utter.  "How do I go about making a claim?"
    A pause.  She muffled the receiver with her hand and I vaguely heard her murmuring.  Then she was back.  "You’re going to need to come into the office."
    "Can I bring a copy of the death certificates or do you need the originals?"
    "Either is fine.  You’ve got to come in right away.  Okay?"
    "I suppose."  Why so urgent?
    "Like today?"
    "I can be there in an hour."
    "Good.  We’ll see you then."
     
    ___________________
     
    The first stop was my cubicle.  I hoped to avoid all the sympathetic wishes and concerned faces.  To my surprise, no one in my department approached me.  Instead, they turned their heads and pretended they hadn’t seen me.  That worked just fine for me. 
    I was stunned to find my cubicle completely empty, save for a cardboard box and a sheet of paper on my desk where my computer and monitor used to sit.  It was a memo on the firm’s letterhead and simply said:
     
 
 
Samuel Hudson,
 
Please report to Human Resources for your exit
interview.
 
Fred Chase,
Director, Human Resources.
   
     
    ___________________
     
    "What the hell is this?"
    "Sam, please.  Have a seat."  Fred sat stone faced at his desk, hands folded.  He seemed calm, but I could see the apprehension in his eyes. 
    "I will not have a seat!  Tell me why I’m being canned."
    He sighed, glanced around the room. "This isn’t really open for discuss—"
    "Dammit, Fred. I just lost my wife, my daughter.  My son’s in a coma.  I need the medical insurance."
    "You’re an at-will employee in the state of Califor—"
    "Cut the crap!"
    "Do you have all your personal effects?" 
    I answered by stabbing my index finger down at the cardboard moving box.  "It was George, wasn’t it?"
    "His decision, yes."
    I always knew George was looking for the perfect opportunity to get rid of me.  I never imagined he would sink this low.  "Look at my record, Fred.  I've performed on par—no, above par, won bigger settlements than any of my peers, never took time off without authorization.  I was up for partner.  Sure, I took more than my allotted bereavement days, but I had tons of vacation and sick days banked."
    He held his hands up.  "It wasn’t that either."
    I kicked his desk.  The sound echoed down the hall and into the main lobby from Fred’s door, which I only then remembered was open.  We remained silent for a moment.  He lowered his voice and motioned for me to shut the door.
    "Listen to me, Sam.  What you do on your own time is none of our business.  But what you do with the firm's computer on the firm’s time, is."
    "What, paying bills online?  Updating my Netflix queue?  iTunes?  For that, I’m getting the ax?"
    "Come on, Sam," he hissed and leaned forward.  "You know what I’m talking about.  Your private hobbies."
    "No way.  None of that was mine."
    "We have regulations about that sort of thing."
    "I came forward with it!"
    He shifted in his chair, tugged on his collar as if it had suddenly shrunk. "Do you have any idea what kind of liability you’ve exposed the firm to?  Child pornography on a company computer?  What if a client saw that?  This is automatic grounds for termination."
    Anger boiled within me, threatened to blow like Mount St. Helen’s.  I’m not a violent man, but I became keenly aware of my potential.  "Okay Fred, Listen" I said, curbing my temper.  "Go ahead and investigate all you want, but I need to make those insurance claims."
    "The investigation's concluded.  And I’m sorry, but your benefits have been terminated as well."
    "No, wait.  You don’t understand—"
    "I think we’re done, now," Fred said, shutting a folder on his desk with a polyurethane smile.  He handed me a slip and a pen.  "Need you to sign this exit form.  Section Two states that the reason for your termination has been explained to you."
    I snatched it out of his