are top 20% performers. She did you a favor leaving as evidenced by her reasoning that she will come out ahead going with no benefits (unless her husband has a job with benefits) and her implicit biases. As for the assumptions about your bigotry, these types are always out there, but I fear there will be even more of them in the current environment. This a little tangential, but always document in writing performance shortfalls and appraisals. Yeah, I'm a retired lawyer and business leader, but don't let running your own smaller business lull you into thinking that your sincere efforts at trying to be fair and ethical are enough to protect you from discrimination claims down the road. Sorry for running on. Good luck.