Sounds like some age discrimination took place. Why were only those 50 years and older selected for termination?
To avoid age discrimination lawsuits.
A buy out is not a lay off.
You offer it to people who would likely be leaving in the next couple of years. It’s a way to get high paid folks out of the way without having to lay people off.
Companies do this all the time.
Why 50 years old? Well, you know we need that bunch to build submarines. They obviously need the young dumbaxxes to keep boring me to paralysis.