Were You the Only One Laid Off? It May Be an Illegal Layoff

• Apr 29, 2026
• Blog
• Michael Burgis & Associates, P.C

Being told it’s a “layoff” doesn’t always mean the full story is being told. If you were the only one cut, or the timing feels suspicious, it’s worth a closer look. In this video, we break down the warning signs that a layoff may actually be discrimination or retaliation, and what you can do next.

If something doesn’t add up about your layoff, contact our team today for a confidential consultation.

Transcript: 

All right, they said it was a layoff, but you’re the only one who got cut—we’ve got to dig into that.

Hi, my name is Shant Kotchounian. I’m the Co-founder of California Employment Trial Lawyers, a Burgis and Kotchounian Firm. We are employment lawyers. We are employee-sided lawyers. We represent employees, like yourself, for wrongful termination, harassment, and retaliation. And we do it with passion.

Was Your Layoff a Cover for Discrimination or Retaliation?

Look, layoffs have to be legitimate. It’s not a mask or a cover-up for discrimination or retaliation. We’ve got to find out who else was laid off. Is there a pattern here?

If you’re the only one complaining about illegal conduct, and you’re the only one laid off, that’s extremely suspicious.

And timing—timing is a big clue. Were you laid off soon after you filed the complaint against the employer? What about after you took medical leave? What about after you asked for an accommodation at work?

If there are less experienced or lower-performing employees who stayed after you, that’s a huge red flag.

Now, what if they refill your role after they told you that you’re being laid off? That completely destroys and undermines the layoff excuse.

Contact Us If You Were Part of an Illegal Layoff

So, folks, remember that a layoff label does not make it legal. Context matters. We’ve got you. This is our area of expertise. If you feel that you’ve been laid off, and that you feel that the reason is not true, give us a call. We’ll walk you through it. We’ll take a look, and we will steer you right. Thank you very much.