Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

I am 62. I have 40 years service. Level 2 individual contributor. I plan to retire at 65. How come, in all those years, I was never on the list for layoff? I work hard, I’m good at my job, get along and help others, people like me. Not every older employee is laid off, just sayin

“ Farms are in need of labor if you are willing to put in a hard day of work.”

I grew up on a farm, and we worked from can to can’t. Unfortunately, the small family farms have long been put out of business by the big corporate outfits. The song “Rain on the Scarecrow” says it all.

@b9 Love to see your source. Here's T's from 2023, and I guarantee the percentage of 50+ has declined since then.

Percent (under) 30 years old: 13.69%
Percent 30–50 years old: 53.19%
Percent (over) 50 years old: 33.12%

“We found jobs so suggest you put a resume together and move on with life!”

OP hasn’t wanted to work in over .20 years.

Not being eligible to bump any H1B or contractor seems like a good legal argument. Hopefully more people try this with success.

Many have been surplused that had 30+ years service at age 60+. I am not aware of anyone filing age discrimination lawsuit. We found jobs so suggest you put a resume together and move on with life!

If you are 50, do you even know what the internet is?

@ca
There is real risk to not meeting the sign off deadlines on documentations when you are surplused. Pay attention to those requirements and don't listen to coworkers, people on this platform or other uninformed groups. Your immediate and future financial
Life depends on making the correct and smart decisions now.

My attorney said that sheet has NO legal value at all... I was told to not sign and to draw from my pension while we worked on a real settlement in court. I can't speak about the outcome but do not trust anything the other side gives you. It's hard for them to defend that they are loaded up on H1B's and laying off older skilled labor. ask yourself, how many H1B's remain ? Were you given the opportunity to bump an H1B in another Org that you were qualified for ? Two weeks to look for a job inside the company is where they hose themselves. play it smart, listen to your attorney .

Lots of trashy people in this forum. Karma will come & I will applaud.
I hope you are devoured sooner rather than later.

Farms are in need of labor if you are willing to put in a hard day of work.

You should apply for welfare so you have more time playing video games.

AT&T has an older employee demographic than many other companies. There isn't age discrimination at T. The odds of an older employee being impacted are just higher given the statistics. You need to look forward and not behind you.

I agree with those admonishing against seeking legal advice here.
ATT has covered all bases with the surplus packages so I doubt you'd have a legal case that would warrant the expense of legal action.
I wish you well.

@av
Dummy .., A 50 year old is a Gen X, not a Baby Boomer!

Yes you definitely should consult an attorney rather than take advice here.
But I have some unfortunate experience with a discrimination (it wasn't with att) process years ago. In the end its often not worth it. Takes years to get through the process. Discrimination is hard to prove. Especially if others in a non protected class experience the same thing. It's expensive. Even if you win or get a settlement, no guarantee it will be more than severance. You might pay expensive lawyer fees and costs and still give up 1/3rd of the settlement. The process can own you mentally. The defendant will do everything they can to make you look bad. Just some things to consider.

Please don't seek legal advice from an anonymous message board. Consult with your attorney for the appropriate legal advice.

If I were you, I would take the severance money since you stated you need that money and a single parent. ATT is not stupid and plan a layoff but allow former employees to sue them. ATT has been laying off employees for years (10+ years) and they are very good at this process.

The severance payment does not make ATT immune for separations that violate federal employment laws. It really only protects from frivilous lawsuits.

Don’t ask here, consult a labor attorney before you sign anything

“Was it worth it?”

Nope.

You usually can’t sue for age discrimination after accepting severance — unless the waiver in your severance agreement doesn’t meet specific legal requirements under federal law.

Here’s how it works:

🔹 The Law

Age discrimination claims are covered by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and severance agreements involving workers age 40 or older must follow the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA).

🔹 To Be Valid, the Waiver Must:

1.  Be written in clear, understandable language (no legal jargon).
2.  Specifically mention “age discrimination” and the ADEA.
3.  Advise you in writing to consult an attorney before signing.
4.  Give you at least 21 days to consider the offer (45 days in group layoffs).
5.  Give you 7 days to revoke your signature after signing.
6.  Provide something of value (like severance pay) that you’re not already entitled to.

If your employer didn’t meet every one of those requirements, the waiver is invalid, and you can still sue for age discrimination even if you took the severance money.

🔹 Summary
• ✅ If the waiver is valid and meets OWBPA rules, you can’t sue for age discrimination.
• ❌ If the waiver is invalid or missing any legal requirement, you can sue, even after cashing the severance check.

AT&T was very sneaky in their plan to eliminate older employees and lesson ageism claims. The plan came from Korn Ferry and many companies are using it. It involves a brief period of over hiring that occurred after the pandemic. The second step was forcing relocation to and irrelevant location, in our case Dallas. The final step was to layoff at the final destination. Each phase used advanced data analysis, focus group research and legal wrangling to maximize to departure of older employees. Angela Santone departed due to John Stankey’s clumsy execution of the plan. But behind iron clad firewalls that have likely been securely destroyed was a plan that mapped the fate of nearly every older employee that contributed to AT&T’s former success. The hiring of younger employees who had no skills didn’t make a huge dent. The relocation during a time when older employees had kids in high school made a bigger dent. The final step of just plain layoffs ensures that a good mix of younger employees are baked into the statistics that lawyers use to determine ageism. Sinister.