Free Money Costs Too Much

Someone is trying to give me money. I sent them a letter of rejection.

I worked for a company. I do not anymore. What I am told by a letter (that I have now received three times) is that someone claims they did not receive all the mandatory breaks from that employer. They sued.

Lawsuits are expensive. Settlements are faster. They decided to lump all of us into one big payment and divvy it up. All I have to do is nothing.

The letter of rejection that I sent yesterday was me exercising option number two. I declined their payment.

“Hey, you must be rich! First world problems, amiright? Congrats and pass a few bucks over here!”

Not really. It has been an expensive year. It feels like every month an additional thousand dollars is asked of me. I scrounge, I rearrange, and I try to make it happen. That piggy bank is sounding rather hollow. (Remember when they made pennies and piggy banks sounded so much richer? Olden days.)

After taxes, my grand payment would be just short of $500. Take their offer, apply plenty of taxes, and voila.

If I were to be tempted, it would have to be for a lot more than $500. Yes, I could use the money; but come now. My opinion is that lawsuits are unseemly. That we should keep talking and work things out. Free up the courts.

The letters rub me the wrong way. “Someone did something wrong! Not to you. But to others. Even though you incurred no harm, we are going to get them on your behalf! Here ya go!”

I am not rich. I do, however, sleep soundly. Currently I am in the position where $500 will not make or break me. (Though if this year keeps going like this…) Feeling gross and losing sleep is not worth that amount to me. I had a different boss than the plaintiff. My bosses treated me respectfully, showed understanding, and gave me all my required breaks. They gave me my paychecks. I do not need to take more from them.

If the plaintiff gets more out of this? If others get a bigger cut of the funds because I bowed out? Enjoy.