Wrongful Termination/ Discrimination Case

I (33F) worked for a country club for almost 3 months. The business has haughty owners and a decade long reputation for high turnover, disorganization, and image-driven staffing. That type of place. I was an event server seasonally transitioning to dining room.

Oct 22: I asked 2 of my superiors for references for a city job with the police. They enthusiastically obliged and provided positive written references. The position I was hired for had “flexible schedule” in its job title so I figured everything was cool. I explicitly stated I had not signed on an offer yet and that academy would not start til February in any case.

Oct 25: I was invited to dress up for a kids’ Halloween event on what was to be my last shift. I made a western outfit out of Anthropologie clothes and clean Doc Martens. I was stationed outside and once that was over I went to the dining room to help bus. I figured I’d be cut so I didn’t bother changing but had my regular uniform ready. The owner’s wife shot me an intentionally rude AF look that night, an exaggerated double-take like I just threw up at the Christmas party; a look to convey disgust thinly veiled as surprise. This was truly the only context clue for what was about to happen.

Oct 28: I received a phone call (1min) from my shift lead 1 hour before my shift communicating my abrupt termination. Oddly, he was unable to articulate a coherent reason, resorting exclusively to vague and patronizing language on my ~3 attempts to clarify (because I couldn’t believe what I was hearing).

-The reason: “we have a type” -“it’s business” -“I know it must be hard to process” (note: I was calm and friendly and this was deflection rather than de-escalation). -complaints and conduct or performance related issues were explicitly denied to be the reason -no other reasons were even touched on -this conversation left me wondering when and how I would receive my last paycheck, available 11/1, which I have not received by mail to date. -their refusal to even invent a pretext demonstrates an absence of legitimate justification. -only after all those other comments, the lead added “you have another job lined up”. He would not have even had an opportunity to say this if I hadn’t kept him on the phone 30 sec more than he would have liked.

I’ll spare more details but what I’m really wondering is 1. I’ve read that getting fired for asking for a reference is not protected, but it was never cited as the reason for my termination, more so a flippant consolation. Can the written references be used as evidence that I did not have performance related issues, in case they realize what they said is damning and switch it up? Or are the references more so proof that they have justification to terminate? I mean, “we have a type???” They really told on themselves and said the quiet part out loud. (I suspect I do not align with their ideal age, complexion/coloring/hair, or height/body type.)

1. My lawyer sent certified mail, but of course no one signed for it and I had to give an e-mail. Do you know what this initial contact might be?

2. What do you think in general? TIA!!!

Location: Maine, USA