WomenCo.

When interviewing with a prospective employer, what can you say when they ask why you are no longer at the company.  Also, knowing that you are suing your former employee for age discrimination, after years of experience with exemplary performance reviews and only four years until you can retire?

HI,

Yes, and the key administrators are very well known in the medical community.  They replaced me with a co-worker whom I supervised, mentored and taught who is in her mid 20's two months after they terminated me,   I am early 50's and had 19 years with only four years to go before I could retire with fully benefits.  Now I have lost my retirement, income and it appears that I am being blocked from other jobs, although I cannot prove it at this time.  I am receiving unemployment which is interesting, since no other employee has received it from this place and the TX Workforce ruled on the first round that the reasons given were not valid for termination.

Thank you for your support.  I am moving forward.  My attorney is doing on a contingency and he is really great.  I know he believes in me and will fight for me.  This has hurt my entire family.  She did everything to me to try and make me quit, but I am not a quitter.  The last thing she said to me was, "Well, we all know you can do the job, I just don't want to work with you anymore."  This was during the second written warning after she had told me that I was incompetent, worked too slow, didn't know how to use the computer software to do my job (gee I wonder how I did it for 20 years with exemplary reviews).  Everyone is upset, but afraid to say anything, because they are all close to retirement.  Unfortunately, she knows everyone and is very powerful.  

Even though she had the other staff not interact or speak to me from Feb until May when she terminated me, I went into work every morning, told everyone hello, dressed nicely in a suit and was very pleasant and nice to everyone, even if they didn't speak to me.  At least I know I can sleep at night with a clear conscious.  What hurts is that for four + years, we had a great relationship and one day she just comes in hits me with my first warning letting for things I had no control over. 

I am moving forward, but am really stuck as to what to say when on an interview and asked why I am no there anymore.  It is my understanding that this lawsut can go on for two or more years, and I am not going to settle, I am going to court. This is wrong and hopefully this will not happen to others. 

Have  a great week.  Laura