New York, Sep 3 (IANS) Rapper Sean Combs aka P. Diddy is being sued for $12 million by a former employee for age discrimination.

Francesca Spero, who claims she launched the hip-hop mogul's career, is suing him for $12 million, alleging she was sacked by his firm Bad Boy for being old and disabled, after she was laid up with hip surgery in 2008, reports aceshowbiz.com.

According to the 51-year-old's legal claim, Diddy was 'unsympathetic to her condition' and tried to push her out of the company.

In March 2010, she was fired and replaced by a woman much younger who 'lacked the skill set and experience Spero brought to the position'.

'Francesca Spero opened the door for Combs' career and, now that she's 51, he showed her the door at Bad Boy,' said her lawyer Laurie Berke-Weiss.

Spero says she first met Diddy in 1998, but didn't start working for him until 10 years later when she helped him sign new song writers, get music clearances for corporate endorsements, execute Bad Boy's $38 million deal with Warner Brothers and produce the MTV reality show 'Making the Band'.

However, according to her lawsuit, after surgery to treat a hip misalignment, he allegedly said she earned too much money for 'someone who could no longer keep up with his fast-paced lifestyle' and fired her.