<prompt> Human: I have a story to tell about getting fired from family owned print and promotional products shop, getting screwed out of a potential 140k and getting fired. For 8 years, my role was graphic designer in charge of creating pitch material apparel mock ups, on-demand print design, presentation decks, web store launching for a team of 7 sales people as well as getting these items into production, building the e-commerce website and providing customer service. Our client list consisted of some of the top 100 direct selling and multi-level marketing accounts in the country. In year 4 of 8, I attempted to leave the company only to be drawn back in with the signing of an agreement that would entitle me to 13 commission split between me and 2 other sales people. This became extremely lucrative with some clients online stores bringing in 100K in sales month. I was making between 35-75k year in addition to my base salary of 40K. The schedule was grueling as I was splitting my time up between office hours and working from home for the sales team, frequently working through the night and during vacation hours. I even flew myself to events at times to help set up on-site pop up shops, moving pallets and running registers. We were making money hand over fist and I was taking a third of the commission in a 3 man team for what I felt was more than a third of the work. For 3-4 years I operated this way with the understanding that once we reached a certain profit number, my base 40K would be cut out and I would live and die by commission just as the sales people do. I had saved enough money to allow for a shitty month or two of no profit which was unlikely since the online stores were doing so well. However, on the day I was supposed to make the switch to full time commission earnings, they decided to kill the entire deal I had been working towards for the past 3-4 years by stating, we have become too big that I would reach a capacity of work that could be produced so I should no longer profit from accounts I had previously helped set up. They decided I should make no more than 75K an they would continue to make well over 6-figures from all the accounts I helped acquire. I felt like those accounts were just as much mine as theirs. Even though I was livid that my deal had exploded in my face after working for so long, I went back to work and logged enough art charges for the department to be profitable even with my increased salary. Then one day, they walked in and in 30 seconds fired me because they felt static. I said I was pretty upset that they had cut my income in half but that I was performing well despite this fact and demanded a performance review. They said I wouldnt be given one and that I had to leave. I was blind sided because the only static there was, was me no longer laughing and joking with the sales people who had screwed me but my work never suffered and I never said anything destructive to them. If Im getting paid to do a task, Im going to do my best to complete that task. Now theyre offering 2 weeks salary less than 3,000 to sign a separation waiver that prevents me from discussing what happened or say any negative or disparaging things about the company including attempting to lure employees away from their company, or discuss the terms of my agreement or salary with them. Not signing it would mean I dont get the severance. At the risk of being sued for leaving a review on glassdoor for example, I have decided to forfeit the severance and not enter into any additional agreements that would only benefit the former employer.I have a 401K that I did not sign up for. The company decided I was making enough money that they could start contributing on my behalf. I never signed up for this program and when asked previously if Id like to contribute, I declined. These contributions appear on my W-2 and total over 16k. Is there any way I would not be entitled to this money? Isnt it illegal for them to contribute on my behalf without signed permission? tl;dr: Was a graphic designer for 8 years making approx 100k annually working for a team of 2 sales people in a company of 15 people. Greed reins supreme and I was eventually cut out and fired with a shrug and a wink-point.  <response>: Our client list consisted of some of the top 100 direct selling and multi-level marketing accounts in the country...so I should no longer profit from accounts I had previously helped set upMan, thats some irony right there.I went back to work and logged enough art charges for the department to be profitable even with my increased salaryLesson 1: When they pulled the deal is when you should have walked.Then one day, they walked in and in 30 seconds fired me Lesson 2: The company will never have as much loyalty to you as you have to the company.I have decided to forfeit the severance and not enter into any additional agreements that would only benefit the former employer.Youre already ahead of the game on Lesson 3: Never sign anything without having a lawyer review it or just dont sign it.These contributions appear on my W-2 and total over 16k. Is there any way I would not be entitled to this money? Theres two kinds of contributions, and you arent clear about which one it is.If they began deducting money from your paycheck, then thats an employee contribution and the money is 100 yours.If the company was making its own contributions to your account, then thats an employer contribution, and the money would be yours based on the plans vesting schedule. Any unvested money remains the property of the company.Isnt it illegal for them to contribute on my behalf without signed permission?No. This is a very common thing for employers to do, both automatic enrollment of employee contributions and automatic employer contributions.Was a graphic designer for 8 years making approx 100k annuallyLesson 4: Contribute 15 minimum to your 401k when youre making over 100k. Youve cheated yourself out of literally thousands of dollars of growth over the last 8 years. 