They Wanted Weekends Off. They Got a Pig Farm.

Chapter 3

The next morning, Natalie strode past my desk with several coworkers. "If you've agreed to the contract, show me your message and collect a reclining office chair. Frank bought them for the team."

She shot me a contemptuous look. "No signature, no chair."

Our company had never provided a rest area. Frank often assigned tasks just before lunch, leaving us to work through our breaks. The chairs drew cheers.

"Has the Scrooge changed?" Ellie whispered. "We could actually lie down at lunch."

"Don't take one, and don't sign yet," I told her. "Frank claimed the company could afford this because it's profitable. The recent figures said otherwise. Come with me to accounting at lunch."

I tagged Frank in the work chat.

Tessa: The new contract leaves pay and the length of employment unclear. Could you explain those clauses?

His replies took a while.

Frank: Pay is monthly. The workday calculation allows us to add weekend pay when someone works overtime.

Frank: The open-ended term is another benefit. As long as you want to stay, we'll always have a place for you.

Tessa: Then why does it say an employee who leaves owes a $250,000 penalty?

Natalie answered first.

Natalie: With benefits this good and jobs this hard to find, who would want to quit? If anyone does, tell me today and we'll approve your resignation immediately.

She tagged me. Frank replied with a thumbs-up. Coworkers piled on.

Employee A: An open-ended contract sounds even better for us.

Employee B: No more worrying about losing my job!

Employee C: Some people worry about everything.

Ellie took my arm. "They don't believe you, Tessa, but I do. My dad says an offer that looks too good to be true usually is. Besides, I've read about performers trapped in contracts with huge exit fees, working for awful managers because they can't afford to leave."

We shared a look. "I'll help explain it to the others," she said.

Before we could, the hostility started. By the third time someone spilled coffee on me, I returned to my office to find Natalie in my chair and my belongings shoved aside.

"What's this?"

"Frank assigned me to share this room so I can learn your work," she said. "You're not following company policy, so he had no choice."

Ellie flushed. "But this is the department head's office. You're not the department head."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Frank would have fired Tessa already if her years here didn't make it expensive. Sign or resign."

I touched Ellie's shoulder. With Natalie here, we had a chance to ask the accountant about the figures. But when we entered accounting, Natalie followed.

"Ellie, are you trying to get fired too?" She grabbed the financial report from Ellie's hands.

"Company records are confidential. I knew you two were up to something. Tessa, if you won't sign, quit."