Dr. Younker
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Detroit District Office
477 Michigan Avenue, Room 865
Detroit, MI 48226-9704
Dear Sir or Madam,
Please accept this letter as a complaint of employment discrimination based on gender by Alice Bennett. Please also accept this letter as an appearance by Marcia Robinson of Auburn University Legal Services on behalf of Mrs. Alice Bennett.
On January 5, Mrs. Bennett started working at Rikards-Hayley, an investment banking firm located at 121 Centre St., New York, New York. Her first job was in training and development, where she received nothing but superior evaluation from her supervisors. At precisely two years ago, she was promoted to acting manager of the department. As acting manager she received superior evaluation. Five months into the job Mrs. Bennett was notified that the company was going to fill the manager position and she applied for the position. She was told by her supervisor, Darren Blackwood, that management liked her but she did not quite fit the image they were seeking. She needed to lose weight and change her attitude towards he male employees. She was told that she was “too assertive.” Mrs. Bennett was not hired as manager; instead the company hired Martina Yardley. After Mrs. Yardley was hired, Mrs. Bennett claimed she was made miserable. Yardley criticized her work constantly and also made comments about her appearance. Two months ago Mrs. Bennett was fired. When male employees were terminated from Rikards-Hayley, they commonly receive severance package consisting of one year’s salary; Bennett’s severance package contained on six months’ salary. As a result of her treatment at work, Bennett claims she suffered physically and emotionally. To date her medical bills have totaled $2500. She has also been unable to find work; she earned $150,000 before she was terminated.
Age discrimination involves treating someone less favorably because of his age. The Age