Mr. Siqueira panicked. He tried to fire her "for just cause" (insubordination), but Dr. Leticia had already filed a preliminary complaint with the Labor Prosecutor's Office ( Ministério Público do Trabalho ).
Over the next three months, the late nights became routine. "Just this once," Mr. Siqueira would say, but "just this once" happened four or five times a week. Clara arrived at 9 AM and often left at 9 PM or 10 PM. Her lunch break shrank to 20 minutes, eaten in front of her screen. Direito do Trabalho
Everyone stayed. Clara worked until 10 PM. She didn't ask about overtime. She was too eager to please. Leticia had already filed a preliminary complaint with
He also stopped signing their timecards. The physical book where they used to record entry and exit times remained blank. "We trust you," he said. Siqueira would say, but "just this once" happened
Dr. Leticia’s office smelled of old books and coffee. After hearing Clara's story, she opened a thick binder.
At the labor court hearing, Mr. Siqueira arrived with a lawyer. He claimed Clara was "lazy" and "not a team player." But Clara had her evidence: emails sent at 9:47 PM, WhatsApp messages from him asking for "just one more hour," and the pay stub showing Pedro's higher salary for the same role.
Then came the "urgent project."