Was it discrimination?

[beaches]

What is the name of your state?

I live in New Jersey.

I worked for a well known corporation of 16 years . Almost 4 years ago I was put in a very stressful situation at work which forced me to either go part time or quit. At the time I went part time I was only supposed to work 3 days a week , 21 hours per week and I lost all my benefits. Well that lasted approx. 1 month or so and before I knew it I was working 4 to 5 hours a week because they were putting in a new system and had me attending classes. It turned out that my part time job held more responsiblity and it continued like that for over a year. I had temporary personnel reporting to me and everything. Well after the new system really went out of control and they had to bring in new management that's when things changed. I got a new GM and a new boss who both wanted me to come back full time.
I told them I couldn't (because of the stress) but asked them to bump me up to 30 hours so I could get my benefits back, which they did. Then I was working 3 3/4 days per week.
Well during that 2 year period everyone in this "group" who were doing the same job as I was were receiving raises. I was promised every review period I would get a raise but it never came. It was also discussed in front of people I worked with and they were all aware of the promises that were being made to me. I even discussed it with EEO and personnel. And it was always the same story, they knew I worked for a raise and it would be coming shortly.
When they made me part time , my title was also changed.
I have been home now since July because of a disability that now I found out started back when I was having all this stress in work.
But the best was, about 2 years after I went part time , the company offered packages to long time employees but didn't offer it to their part timers. Needless to say I got burnt big time.
Is there anything I could do as far as discrimination with the promises of a raise that never came?

 

[Beth3]

Discrimination? No. Being part-time is not a protected status.

Whether the promises made to you constituted some sort of contract that would give you the basis of a civil suit is a separate matter and something you'll need to speak to an attorney about. The odds are it's unlikely though.

 

[beaches]

was it discrimination

Thanks Beth. There are several other issues that I am pursuing also. I worked for 16 years before going part time , after 2 years they offered a package to all long time employees that were there 10 years or longer but they did not offer it to the part timers even though the majority of us were there 15 years or longer and worked 30 hours per week. This status of "part time" was only considered an internal thing.

 

[Beth3]

Again, it's perfectly legal for an employer to "discriminate" on the basis of "classes" of employees. It's not at all unusual for part-time employees to be excluded from certain benefits and other things the employer chooses to provide to full-time employees. I can understand why you may feel that's not fair but it is legal.

 

[beaches]

Thank you. They certainly get their money's worth from the part timers, that's for sure.