Ousted after years of service; we may have options

A Los Angeles resident can put in years or even decades of service to a company only to one morning get called in the management's office and be told that their services are simply no longer needed. Some get a severance agreement and package, but others may not be so lucky. These unexpected and abrupt changes in life clearly carry an enormous amount of stress. But it's important to try to keep a level head and approach the situation with a clear mind; there may be legal recourse.

Aside from the emotional shock, when one is laid-off without warning, it raises important legal questions. Perhaps, it was a matter of economic circumstances, but other times, the termination of a senior worker is a form of age discrimination, an illegal business practice.

The concern about one's financial well-being may tempt a person to just sign a severance agreement and move on. However, workers over 40 who are fired without an apparent reason should be aware that our law office stands ready to help. We are experienced employment discrimination attorneys.

Although discrimination can be difficult to prove, as employers will usually find some excuse, we are dedicated investigators and work hard to find the underlying cause. If it turns out there was illegal age discrimination involved, we will seek all available compensation.

A person who has been at the same firm for years, and then unexpectedly fired or laid off should consider consulting our office before signing away his or her rights in a severance agreement. After all, that person may have a valid age discrimination claim.