Most layoff lawsuits don't claim a manager set out to discriminate. They claim the numbers did. When a reduction in force (RIF) falls hardest on older workers, women, or a particular racial group, a former employee can sue on a disparate impact theory even if every decision-maker acted in good faith. That's why California employers planning cuts often bring in a workplace discrimination defense attorney before the list is final, not after the complaint arrives. The short answ