Largely agreed. > Don’t be weak. I think I know what you mean. The key word to me is "assess", as in "be mindful" of the gap between your goals and reality, y

Largely agreed. > Don’t be weak. I think I know what you mean. The key word to me is "assess", as in "be mindful" of the gap between your goals and reality, your options, and the likely consequences. Since this kind of aphorism ("Don’t be weak.") can be interpreted in many ways, I like to elaborate. In this context I would say: * Know your legal rights * Be proactive, protect yourself, have back-up plans * Understand the pros and cons of your options; e.g. standing up for yourself. The downsides may involve employer friction and perhaps legal cost and lost wages. The upsides may be deferred and quite uncertain. * Pick your battles. Beyond the individual dimension, raising awareness, organizing, and collective action go a long way towards promoting employee rights. These improve the "menu of options" available to individuals dealing with organizations that tend to benefit from a power imbalance. P.S. VPN = Valiant Pun Noticed