Meltdown

I then try to avoid Jean and I walk down the hallway, on the other side of the work area from where Jean's office is.
Jean is camped out in a management office that I walk by and she waves me in. She then finishes up her phone conversation and then glares at me. “Do you realize that this company is mistreating female employees?”
“The mistreatment that you cite isn't limited to just female employees.”
Jean says, “Well, I'm going to do something about it.”
I lecture Jean, “If the information that I have is correct and I have reason to believe that it is, the company is bankrupt. There will be no final checks, at least no final checks at this time. It's not just the workers who are being axed, but the Secretaries, the Managers, everyone. What is it that you think that you can do?”
Jean says, “I'm not sure that the company is bankrupt. However, even if it is, there will be insurance.”
I sigh, “For a company like this, insurance coverage is likely errors and omission type coverage. That type of coverage protects the officers of the company from lawsuits based upon management's false statements and/or errors. There's no coverage for things like employee paychecks.”
Jean snaps, “Then, what do you intend to do? Just lie down and die, while the company tramples on your rights?”
“I'm unaware that the company is trampling on my rights. Could you please be specific?”
Jean snaps, “Do you think that you have a right to your paycheck?
“If the company has money to pay me, then I have a right to my paycheck. I have read that, in bankruptcy court, worker's paychecks effectively have top priority. The government actually has legal priority, but the government routinely steps aside to allow workers to receive their paychecks. Note, I said workers, not management.”
Jean looks at me like some sort of unclean, crawling insect, “What about the rights of female employees?”
“I have had limited contact with female employees. If I'm asked, by any employee, I will at least tell them what my recommendation for them would be. I'm unaware of any company effort to abuse female employees, at least any more than they abuse male employees.”
Jean immediately replies, “Then, you are aware of abuse of employees, by the company?”
“The only specific item that I'm aware of that might be called abuse was the promotion of Gerry, instead of me, to Project Manager for the GV10 project. I was more qualified for Project Manager and also the only employee who was working at the customer site, on a day by day basis. I did basically all of the customer contact and wrote all of the reports. However, there's no way that I would win anything of value in a lawsuit.”
Jean then asks, “What is your opinion of Gerry?”
“I already told you what I have to say about Gerry. I will point out that I worked for Gerry and I'm not aware of what his assigned duties were.”
Jean then tells me, “Well, I'm going to get the Ladies Legal Center involved and then you'll see some action.”
“I can't see what sort of real benefit would be gained by legal action. Apparently, the company is terminating all, or at least most of the employees. It's not impossible that a few accounting people may be retained, for a bit, so that they can wrap up the financial affairs of the company. If what I believe is true, you and I will be gone by the end of today and there's nothing that we can really do about it.”
Jean then asks me, “What sort of recommendation would you have for me?”
I sigh, “I have never worked with or for you. I have no idea what it is that you do or what your work assignments are. I would be unable to make any meaningful recommendation for you, other than to say that you and I worked for the company, at the same time.”
Jean snaps, “You're setting yourself up to be on the bad side of a lawsuit. I have two children to support and the company is going to pay me what I have coming.”
“If that's how it must be, then that's how it must be.” I then get up and walk away from Jean.