The BetterMost Can Club

[serious crayons]

That's poop, Dobie1018. It sounds like discrimination. Had you been with that particular company longer than she?

I'm sorry to hear it and wish you the best of luck in getting a new job. I heard a report on the radio today telling about all the people who'd been laid off--and a large percentage are finding jobs--and several of those have found jobs that pay more than the ones they were laid off from. Let's hope that's the case for you!

{{{{{{{{{{Dobie1018}}}}}}}}}}

I agree with Shasta that it sounds like discrimination is possible, Dobie. Have you talked to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission? They'd be able to tell you whether you had a case.

http://www.eeoc.gov/charge/overview_charge_filing.html

[Kelda]

I just discovered this thread.  I lost my job at the end of February, and am searching for something, but so far nothing.  I've applied to dozens of jobs, and get nothing in return.  Actually I did have one interview a couple of weeks ago, but they gave the job to someone else.  I worked for a land development company, and business is just so slow around here, they told me they had to let one of us go:  me, in my mid 50's, or my co-worker - the 21 year old blond, shapely, pretty young thing.   Being that most of my co-workers are middle aged males, guess who they let go?  Not the 21 year old. They let me go - the one with the 30 years' experience doing this type of work, and who has seniority over the 21 year old.  It's just not fair, and it's scary out here without a job!   Just venting.  Thanks for listening you all.   

 

Thats terrible. Why would they let the one with all the experience go?

[Brown Eyes]

Thats terrible. Why would they let the one with all the experience go?

It's not at all a good justification or fair, but I'd bet that the one with the more experience probably had a higher salary.  That could be a factor... deciding to cut the one they'd have to pay the most money.  That seems to be something of a trend I feel like I've heard about a lot lately.

{{{Dobie}}} I'm so sorry about your situation Bud.

[Dobie1018]

Thats terrible. Why would they let the one with all the experience go?

Because they're MEN, Kelda, and these particular men don't think with the heads on top of their shoulders; they think with another part of their body.  Sorry;  sometimes I feel like Elaine in that Seinfeld episode where she was on the subway holding a prettily wrapped present, on her way to a friend's lesbian wedding, and she became involved in a conversation with an older lady standing next to her who was asking her about the 2 people getting married, assuming all along that it was a man and a woman.  When Elaine told her it was 2 women getting married, the woman gave her such a shocked look, and walked quickly away from Elaine, and Elaine yelled to the woman as she was quickly moving away from Elaine "I'm not a lesbian - I just hate men!"

Anyway, here in Florida, you can be terminated for any reason at all or no reason at all, unless you can legally prove discrimination.  I worked for an attorney for 5 years that mainly did discrimination law, and believe me it is extremely difficult to prove you've been discriminated against.  I was at this last job for a year and 2 months, and the 21 year old lovely was hired about 2 weeks after I started.  Don't get me wrong, me and the girl got along just fine, and I have nothing against her really - it's the guys.  They want what they want, and it's not a 50 something woman - it's a 21 year old girl.

[Dobie1018]

It's not at all a good justification or fair, but I'd bet that the one with the more experience probably had a higher salary.  That could be a factor... deciding to cut the one they'd have to pay the most money.  That seems to be something of a trend I feel like I've heard about a lot lately.

{{{Dobie}}} I'm so sorry about your situation Bud.

Thanks atz.  You are probably right, I did have a higher salary than the other girl, but if you could see the way the guys kidded around with her, and acted goofy around her, and the way they would watch her and comment to each other as she walked away from them . . . . I don't know, probably my imagination.  She also has a part-time bartender's job at night, and the guys would very often go to the bar where she worked and hang out there drinking until late at night.  She's young, and likes to party, and so do they.  Anyway it is what it is.  I have to think positive, and think of it as an opportunity they have given me to find a better job. 

[Mandy21]

Dobie1018, is there any chance you could have a brief, informal meeting or just a quick phone call after-hours with the discrimination attorney you worked for previously?  Maybe he/she could give you your chances of how worthwhile pursuing this in court might be.  If I were you, I would be PISSED and would want to fight back, if only for principles' sake so that this company doesn't just think they can get away with things like this.  You wouldn't have to sue to get your job back, necessarily; you could just sue for a cash amount in emotional damages and lost wages, etc.  Sounds to me the onus would be on the company to prove that this hottie-tottie was a more capable or educated or well-trained person for the role.  Push THEM into the corner, and let them see what it feels like.

I can only imagine what stupid fluffy drivel this girl had to say to you on your last day, about how sorry she was.  I'd be livid, and I'd make sure somebody paid.

Good luck.

[Brown Eyes]

Well, to be fair... it doesn't sound like it's the younger woman's fault if she's just an employee too.  The problem is with the bosses/ employers.

[Dobie1018]

Thanks for the support Mandy & Atz!  I know from experience that there is no evidence to produce in a court of law that there was discrimination in my layoff. My boss told me he lost $3,000,000 last year.  This is a land development company, and I know this type of business is really suffering now, and we hardly ever had anything to do at work, so I guess it was not a total surprise that my boss announced he had to lay one of us off.  I'm done with them now and am moving on.  It's not worth the aggravation to try to pursue anything.  It's good to have you guys to vent to anyway!! 

[Front-Ranger]

Dobie, my experience had some similarities to yours. I was the only one let go from my department. I had the most experience, the most years of anyone except my supervisor, and was earning the highest salary. I also had the most awards and the trust and confidence of the engineers I worked for. After I was let go, my responsibilities were given to a person with less experience and credibility. She lasted less than a month and then the engineers refused to work with her. Another junior person was then given the work, but she refused to do it. Now, guess who's doing the work...my former supervisor. I don't expect her to last much longer at the job either.

I lost my job in early February and am just now coming to terms with it. I'm not in any hurry to get another job in the corporate world, and I may not ever do it!!

[Dobie1018]

Thanks for sharing your story FrontRanger.  It certainly is similar to my situation.  I have a feeling the same thing is happening at my old job, with young person in it, trying to do it all, now that I'm gone.  Oh well.  Sorry if I'm grumpy and grouchy around here lately.  I'm just going through a lot of emotions these days - anger, sadness, desperation, hoplessness, sometimes even happiness that I'm not at that job anymore, and actually enjoying searching for something new.  If I knew that I wouldn't eventually run out of money, I might enjoy job searching even more!  I'll keep searching.. . . . . and searching.