Retaliation for filing complaint

[skessler]

What is the name of your state? Missouri

I was recently discharged from my former employer, a subsidiary of a major health system in St. Louis. Soon after I filed a discrimination complaint, I received a settlement offer from them.

As part of the settlement if I were to sign it, I would not be allowed to seek employment with my former employer again nor the parent company nor any other subsidiary of the parent company. In other words, because I filed a complaint, I am blocked from working for the entire health system.

This isn't a non-compete agreement. I am free (and encouraged via the letter of recommendation I would receive) to seek employment with the parent company's competitors. But it seems strange to me that I would be barred from other subsidiaries of the same company just because I had issues with one.

Before I spend money on an attorney, I thought I'd get a feel for what to expect. Does this clause constitute retaliation?

SK

 

[Beth3]

Not at all. A settlement agreement in which the individual acknowledges they have no "rights of re-employment" and agrees not to pursue employment with the corporate parent or their subsidiaries is completely standard.

Regardless of whether they actually are guilty of prohibited discrimination or are just offering a settlement to make it go away even if innocent, the bottom line is that they just don't want to cross swords with you again. If you don't like the terms, then don't sign the settlement offer.