Groton — A 17-year employee of Groton Town has filed a complaint with the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, saying she was the victim of age discrimination when her position was eliminated.

Carol A. Buckingham, 57, of New London said in the complaint filed on Oct. 27 that she had always had good performance evaluations and attendance during her tenure with the town. 

Her complaint alleges that the town cut her job and reassigned its duties because of her age and to deny her retirement benefits.

The town was notified of the complaint Nov. 9.

The lawyer representing the town, Allison P. Dearington, of Rose Kallor in Hartford, could not be reached for comment. 

The complaint said the town eliminated Buckingham's position as a material control specialist with the Department of Public Works as of June 30.

Buckingham said she understood the department was assigning the duties to someone else and she chose to take a position in the town clerk's office as an office assistant rather than be laid off, the complaint said.

On Sept. 29, she said she received "the worst rating I had ever received while employed by the town of Groton," the complaint said. Buckingham said she didn't agree with all of the rating but the told clerk that "I would continue to attempt bettering my skills," the complaint said.

On Friday, Oct. 2, after Buckingham came back from lunch, she said she was told she had a meeting with human resources officials, the complaint said.

Union representatives who attended the meeting said they were unaware of it until one hour earlier, the complaint said.

The human resources director then gave Buckingham a letter saying she had failed to pass the probationary period, the complaint said.

"I believe that I was a victim of age discrimination in that my position with the public works department was eliminated," she wrote, adding that there were openings in the department that never were filled.

"The duties of my position were reassigned to another division allowing the elimination of my position. I selected a position that was new to me so I could remain employed. The position was less hours and less pay. I believe that this was done in an effort to deny me my retirement pension and because of my age, 57."

Robert Zagami, town director of human resources, referred questions to Dearington.

d.straszheim@theday.com

Twitter: @DStraszheim