MANHATTAN (CN) - An Obama supporter says her accounting firm fired her from her $200,000 a year job after the partners found out she had attended the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Julia James claims in New York County Court that her bosses at DDK & Co. gave her a sterling evaluation in June 2008 for her work as director of quality control.
Two months later, she says, managing partner Allen Dorkin praised her for her suggestions on how to make the firm more efficient and organized.
That was before she attended the Democratic National Convention at the end of August.
When she returned and a co-worker asked, "How was the convention?" and said that it was a "historic and momentous" year to attend, Dorkin overheard and reacted with much less enthusiasm, James says.
Soon eight of the 10 partners firm "stopped speaking to Julia," the complaint states.
The remaining two had no choice but to talk to her because they worked together on a daily basis, James says.
She claims that Dorkin called a recruiter to replace her and hired someone to fill her job description in October.
James says the partners fired her on Dec. 12, 2008 for "overuse of her vacation time," though she had 75.5 unused hours when she was fired.
She seeks unearned wages and punitive damages for discrimination, from DDK and Dorkin.
Dorkin was not immediately available for comment.
James is represented by Rick Ostrove with Leeds, Morelli & Brown.
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