A settlement sounds like a lot. It’s not.
Taxes take a chunk. Lawyer takes a third of what’s left. COBRA — which is the health insurance they stopped paying for when they fired you — costs more per month than most people’s car payment.
A six-figure settlement becomes a five-figure reality after everyone who isn’t you takes their cut. What’s left is rent for less than a year.
And for that, you can’t talk about it. Can’t name the company. Can’t describe what happened. Can’t tell your story. Can’t warn the person they hired to replace you.
The settlement isn’t compensation. It’s a price. What silence costs retail.