That is why many corporations find ways to force out older employees without triggering age discrimination lawsuits. Many have their own insurance programs for health and life that are administered by outside insurance companies. It is a profit center for the company. But, older employees hit the health and life insurance profits so companies have ways of getting rid of older workers....
11 ways companies get rid of older workers:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2013/11/03/11-sneaky-ways-companies-get-rid-of-older-workers/#19c3e4a26d0e
It’s one thing to force our older employees on things like airline flights. Completely another to force them out of desk jobs.
Excuse me, but four years ago, after 31 years I was RIFed from Verizon with a very satisfactory compensation package. There was an older "grandfathered pension" that no one imagined was worth anything but cashed out at almost $100,000.00 for me. I cashed out completely but although I was laid off, they kept me on the retired status.
As I understand it, this last go round of voluntary attrition at Verizon had older employees running to HR to be let go.
California is an “at will” state, so employers really don’t need to be very sneaky about it. You just notice one day that all your older colleagues have been quietly disappearing for a few years until one day you find yourself disappeared. It’s happened to a lot of friends after age 50. The good ones get back to work somewhere else; others may be out of work for good...or take a position way below their capabilities.