User:Mfantazzi

ARTICLE TITLE: 59 AND FIRED

READERS PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: If any of you reading this true story have had a similar experience, especially if the experience was at Wells Fargo Bank please give the details. I suspect this type of activity happens all the time at a lot of companies however, until now there has been no forum so readily available with the with the capabilities of the Internet BLOG environment to collect, consolidate and summarise information to determine if there are unlawful trends of employee terminations/firing practices being perpetrated by any one or more companies out there. If we get enough documented cases of this illegal activity then we can group together and go after the companies that are breaking the law and ruining people’s lives. I would be glad to offer my services voluntarily and co-ordinate any legal action that we as a group or class may decide to bring against the offending companies....... Mike Fantazzi / < mfantazzi@aol.com > TRUE STORY At the time, April 2005, I was 59 and fired. After 5 1/2 years of documented good performance, pay raises, bonuses and stock option grants, as a key employee, I was called into the senior manager's office in Jan 2005, and told I did not do my job during the preceding year of 2004. My direct manager was at that meeting also. Please keep in mind the alleged non performance comments were told to me in that Jan 2005 meeting and at no other time prior. As a matter of business routine I either saw or spoke with the senior manager almost every day as he was located in the same office on the very same floor as I. My direct manager was located in Colorado. I also spoke with him regularly during the week as a matter of business needs and routines. I went through all of 2004 believing I was on track and doing what I was being paid to do since neither of the two managers ever commented to me otherwise at any time during the whole preceding year of 2004. So when I was called to the Jan 2005 meeting with the senior manager and my direct manager I was blindsided by their comments of alleged substandard performance in 2004. Based on the nature of their comments I would have had to literally and completely stop working in 2004. Other comments to me by the senior manager were and I quote “Due to the point of life you're at and considering your health issues we feel you would be happier working somewhere else" end quote. Sound like age and health discrimination? Sure does to me. Curious that the review comments, in my annual performance review for 2003, written by both managers, rated me as an above average performer and was discussed with me in March of 2004 (just 9 months prior to Jan 2005) just as all reviews had for the previous 4 years which were also written by the senior manager. As a result of that review for the year 2003 I received a $15,000 bonus, stock options worth over $15,000 and a merit salary increase. It should be noted I had also received similar raises, bonuses and stock options for the previous 4 years performance.   To say I was blindsided by my firing is a huge understatement. I have always done my job very well. The health and point of life comments were telling I thought so I contacted an attorney, drafted a demand for wrongful termination citing the age and health statements made to me in that Jan 2005 meeting. The demand was sent to the Banks huge legal conglomerate. Subsequently a response was received from them, denying the discriminatory statements were ever made. Also stated in the Bank’s response were several unfounded accusations made again as to my work performance. Since I did not have unlimited funds to continue the legal action my attorney advised I withdraw the suit. I did not want to just drop it like that however; I couldn’t afford to continue so I dropped the charges. I was so frustrated and felt inconsequential, worthless. What could I do to right this wrong? Very little as I have found out. As a last ditch effort I contacted the EEOC and was advised in order to pursue any available legal remedy I would have to produce witnesses from work to support my claim. Though there are people there who know what the real reasons were for what happened, the senior manager’s personal dislike for me not surprisingly no one would come forward and risk their job. So, at the end of the day, it was that simple to get rid of an older employee with some minor health issues. I was not even afforded the opportunity to resign which, to me demonstrated the ugliness and personal nature of the action against me. Apparently all you really have to do at that particular Bank is just lie, say you didn't say it because they could and did get away with it, especially if the company is huge with an intimidating legal staff such as Wells Fargo with maybe 800 or 900 lawyers on staff to handle their legal matters. It appears that not only was I unlawfully terminated I am also being prevented from getting another job. I have not been able to find employment since leaving Wells Fargo in April 2005. That’s over 3 years! It’s a small world and everyone knows everyone in my field, the Mortgage Financial Services business. I have always, without fail, been able to get a job. I have been on 40 ++ job interviews, almost all in California, my previous home for 16 years, for which I was very qualified. However, there are some issues regarding job reference information being given that is untrue, detrimental and unlawful. Supporting my suspicions about unlawful and untrue references I have since been told in confidence by one of my closest friends, that as far as my reference were concerned, “I was getting Bad Press”. My friend confirmed my suspicions. You see she is employed in a senior level position by one of the Financial Services companies where I interviewed. She was able to view her company’s verification comments on my employment application. Now I know what the phrase “You Can’t Fight City Hall” means. Currently I am broke and I have lost my home of 16 years in California. Further, in an effort to keep my creditors current, foolishly believing I would find employment as always, sufficient to replenish my financial capacity to previous levels I have gone through my 401k, several and all stock options accounts and 2 other retirement accounts totalling over $225,000. My income has been reduced from approximately $10,000++ per month to $2000 per month. Honestly there are some months when I don’t have enough money for food and I have to ask my parents for help. I should be helping them. At 62 years old that’s pretty humiliating as was filing a personal bankruptcy. ALL OF THIS MISERY JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE IN AUTHORITY HAD A PERSONAL RESENTMENT AND PERHAPS ENVY FOR THE LIFE STYLE I REPRESENTED TO HIM. If you read this and have information of a similar nature especially if it’s my former employer Wells Fargo please contact me via E mail as indicated above. Thank you for your time, M.C.F.