https://www.hcamag.com/us/specialization/employment-law/former-att-director-alleges-return-to-office-mandate-drove-out-older-workers/570973
A former director is suing the company for age discrimination related to the RTO and relocation BS. She specifically cites Stankey’s remarks in 2023 about the employee demographics skewing too old. Too much to ask first but boy would it be awesome if they got nailed for this!
@sj Calling that a “basic requirement” is rewriting history.
The role, scope, and output didn’t change. The only thing that changed was moving it from NJ to TX. That’s not a natural job requirement, that’s a forced relocation.
When you tell someone to uproot their life or lose their job, that’s not a resignation. That’s a company decision designed to trigger attrition without paying severance.
You can label it however you want, but everyone understands what it actually is.
@sj where you sit doesn’t determine your capability to properly perform your duties. I prefer people who don’t require an adult baby sitter. You’re pathetic.
@t5 The only such “job requirement” is that you get your head as far up Stankey’s a$$hole as possible. See you on OnlyF-ns!
“We can do our jobs from literally anywhere or do you still not get it.”
Not with current job requirements. See you in the office.
@sj We can do our jobs from literally anywhere or do you still not get it. Our entire marketing campaign is now built on that.
And when the relocation is designed to be a layoff that targets protected classes per Stankey’s comments, it becomes a legal issue.
“Her job requirements did not change at all just the location they wanted her to do her job.”
One of the most basic requirements for the job was location. When she decided not to move, this became a resignation.
So someone in HR cut? Karma.
"She was not the only one impacted her entire team of directs were given the same choice to move or leave with severance. Following her surplus some other Directors in that organization had to make the same decision."
Who is the lawyer taking on Lorraine's case? Barry Zuckerkorn?
“ There use to be the audio file on here of him saying what he said“
No, there wasn’t.
I heard it live and have never heard it since.
@j7
Her job requirements did not change at all just the location they wanted her to do her job
@j6 Correction. Lorraine’s entire of directs were not impacted just her team that was not in Atlanta. I really hope this sheds some light on Stinkeys ageism.
So she chose not to follow the work after job requirements for her position changed? No case, no chance.
@be
I too was on the same team and it was not a “dismissal” she chose not to follow the job to Atlanta. I don’t blame her for not moving because there was no reason to leave her home and family. There were other Directors not being forced to move so she definitely has valid case points. She was not the only one impacted her entire team of directs were given the same choice to move or leave with severance. Following her surplus some other Directors in that organization had to make the same decision. In any event I hope she gets a life changing settlement. Her replacement was not a DEI hire he once worked for her as an AM the role which is now AD. He then moved to a Director role in another organization and was a perfect replacement candidate.
There use to be the audio file on here of him saying what he said
@h5 I also recall McElfresh saying that institutional knowledge comes from teams, not individuals and that institutional knowledge of old systems/tech wasn’t that important or something very close to that. And then Stank at the ERG conference joked about getting in trouble for talking about age and then proceeded to do so again. Don’t remember what he said.
If his comments were so meaningless they would have posted the recordings and continued to record these things.
Also I have noticed at least in my location there is more pressure to go to these !diotic “watch parties” for the town halls - wtf do I need to sit with other people to listen to these putzes blather on about how fantastic everything is? We’re not watching the damn Super Bowl. Rationale for this of course is stop people from recording and exposing their like what happened with Kellyn last summer
@h7 This is why the lawsuit will never see a verdict. Letting a lawsuit go to trial in this situation would be a violation of the board's fiduciary duty to stockholders. They will settle because they have no choice. A jury verdict would cause an instant multi-billion dollar class action feeding frenzy.
I always suspected it could have been fallout from the Stanks age discrimination remarks
Unlikely. Santone, herself, was evil. She was the one who took away vacation from older workers so she was as much a part of it as the Stank.
Anyone can find an ambulance chasing attorney to file a lawsuit. There is nothing to see here.
@cz
Hope is not a strategy.
There are plenty of people who would love to sign on to this as a class action lawsuit.
Someone should post the link to the law firm.
It'll take 10 years and millions of dollars, and when it's all done everybody gets a check for $1.38, but the bragging rights alone ... priceless.
I know the first couple of quotes from the 2023 Town Hall moment. Perhaps others can help fill in the blanks.
The panel was answering questions that had been submitted by employees. One of the questions was:
“How are we going to handle the loss of so many experts within the company?”
Stankey said:
“Now, this answer is coming from the oldest guy in the room, but experience isn’t everything.”
He then went on to say that we need to bring in employees with more diverse perspectives. He referred to younger people at some point and said that AT&T’s current employee demographics don’t align with our customers’ demographics, and how that needed to change.
The woman filing the lawsuit still lists AT&T prominently in her LinkedIn profile as current employer. It seems like she’s having a hard time letting T go.
Well, he did specifically say that he was targeting older people for layoffs and wanted to replace them with younger workers. Of course he excluded himself. It doesn’t matter how many tens of billions of dollars she has already cost the company, they won’t hold him accountable.
@OP 👏👏👏👏
Hope there will be a class action lawsuit. I’m in!
If you remember a few days after that infamous town hall, a generic announcement was sent out stating the Chief HR Officer, Angela Santone was leaving the company. I always suspected it could have been fallout from the Stanks age discrimination remarks.
Google John Andrasik versus AT&T.
Per court filings, that case was settled. STIPULATION Of Dismissal with Prejudice. That means claims dropped with plaintiff being unable to re-file based on agreed upon settlement. AT&T does not want this out.
Yes, my boss was moved, demoted and still supporting the same position and same team. She is also extremely competent and a good Manager while others in the org were able to keep their title. The rules definitely do not apply for all.
"We are running a convalescent home."
You talking about the C suite again?
Lorraine sounds like a typical top performer.
Old man, hanging on, still have a little bit of hope left.
We are running a convalescent home.
There’s others. Google John Andrasik versus AT&T. Another former director suing for age discrimination
Please let karma bite him in his elitist, ageist and incompetent -ss!
" That’s an obvious part of discovery and the company definitely does not want that leaked."
The company sure as he-l does not want employees that heard the remark to participate in the lawsuit as witnesses either.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they settle. I am sure the attorneys would push for the recordings of Stankey’s remarks both at the 2023 town hall and the ERG conference later in the year when he joked about getting in trouble for talking about age and then proceeded to do it again. That’s an obvious part of discovery and the company definitely does not want that leaked.
If successful, it would add to a long list of Stank actions that led to company loss. Par for the course.
"This is evidence? LOL"
Actually, it is. And it is evidence that supports her claim.
What rating did you receive on your most recent bootlicking review?