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Law

Fired Ricketts aide claims age discrimination in lawsuit

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former administrative assistant for Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has filed a lawsuit accusing the state of age discrimination.

The Lincoln Journal Star reports an attorney for former aide Kathleen Graham filed the lawsuit Friday in Lancaster County District Court.

Graham was fired Dec. 1, 2016, when Ricketts told her he was eliminating her position due to budget cuts.

Graham's lawyer, Vince Powers, says within days of her departure, the state replaced her with a woman in her 20s who sat at her desk, took her parking spot and performed the same duties but at higher pay.

Ricketts spokesman Taylor Gage says the executive assistant position wasn't replaced and the duties were absorbed by others.

Graham had worked for the state since 2000. She was less than a year from retirement upon her firing.

She now works for a state senator.

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