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Egalité hommes/femmes après 45 ans: témoignage anonyme

I am sorry, I do not write well in French so I must communicate in English.
This is my experience.

I should have known, when during the interview process, the young smiling :D HR guy told me that I was considered "old" for the company (major bank in Luxembourg) and he often has problems with their "older" workers. "What do you mean by problems?" I enquired. "Well, they just can't seem to work like us". I did not press it. I - he meant they were 60-plus and can't figure out the email system. He also commented that older workers cost the company a lot of money in Luxembourg taxes.

Little did I know that at 49 I was considered "old" and already a "problem" - but apparently they were desparate. In hindsight, I realize the reputation of this group leads them to look in other countries for workers as no one in Luxembourg wants to work for them. I am American; I was living in France with my fiance, but unable to gain a work permit there.

I came to Luxembourg as a single mother with my eight year old daughter. I did not know in advance that childcare is an issue here; and that the creches were full by the time my work permit was approved. However, when I had the ability to I went to work early because the company has flex-time (except I found out apparently not for me), worked through lunch, took work home. On a few days that the creche closed for snow; or my daughter was ill and the social service group did not have someone available with no notice when the school called me - I took the work home and participated in conference calls from my living room. I was warned that "this is not allowed"; but I knew several people had too much work as well, and did it at home. I know it as a fact because every other Sunday night, I helped an - refine the English of the market newsletter distributed to seventeen countries - because I was the only native English speaker in the office.

I suffered incredible harshness in treatment from this group, even though it was well known that the man I reported to was a pathological liar, had his position in his own little department because he continually upset so many people no one wanted to work with him, and the work it was proposed we do he axed because it would not look good politially. (His words.) I had thought that they were looking for a professional global point of view on issues - but proposals to create relevant research was thwarted and critisicm of EXCEL formatting took the place of relevant discussion. In the meantime, I continued to perform necessary research with 20-plus years of experience in the field; while being told such  things as: although the Luxembourg Administration requires that I, as a non-EU resident, must report to different government agencies IN PERSON when my work permit/residence permit is expiring and requires renewal - I am supposed to do this by mail so as to not distrupt my time in the office. Or, that although the company prides itself on the flexible working schedule allowing employees to come anytime between 7 and 10 AM for work, my coming early to accomodate Administration issues or therapy for a physical problem are not acceptable to them. Or that under new management; my travel requirements will become such that although it is acknowledged that childcare will eat up 50% of my take home pay; it is my problem that I came to Luxembourg as a single mother and because I did I should be prepared to spend the 2,000 EUR for childcare alone. (That one was my favorite!)

I realized in retrospect, and watching how they treated others, that simply it is an issue of wanting to have young people whome they not only pay less; but have less fiscal responsibility to the State for as well. Cheaper is better! When I looked at the hours that some of these other people worked (and although they are told these extra hours can be "banked" - I was told to never consider taking these hours, ever) I realized that a parent, single or not - or an experienced worker is not what is wanted here. They want to ride you into the ground and grovel for your paycheck. And, indeed, there was a fear level in some of the managers that if they slacked, they would lose their toys (their Mercedes, BMW, conference boondoggles) which drove them to treat their - like lesser beings.

And, the State is an equal participant in this evil. The company is allowed to dump you into the unemployment system where your check is now a liability to the Duchy. In other countries; this liability is bourne by the company itself in the form of taxes to pays based on how many people it causes to be dumped. This firm cleverly wrote a very long probation period which let it off the hook for any liability for its behaviour. I know, I checked with lawyers. And although the behaviour (much of which I did not go into here) was "appalling" - they can wash their hands and move on without financial implication.

So, now I am 50 and trying to find a job. I have sent my child away (which breaks my heart) rather than try to continue to work around these childcare issues - because if I get a job I know I will not be able to deal with them while I am trying to fit in.

But what really upsets me is to watch really stupid decisions be made by firms that are responsible for the management of other people´s money - because "cheap and docile" is better than "experienced and vocal" to their bottom line. Shame, shame.

A the end of several months of "total crap"