Down-size/severance package

[Andersona1946]

What is the name of your state? New York.
Recently my company was sold to a bigger one. The new company decide to lay-off over 15% of the work force. I'm almost 61 years old and after 17 years, I just received a termination notice. If I will signed the severance agreement I will receive the equivalent to 13 weeks of base pay. I have 21 days to decide.
My question is:
As a women, US citizen, 61 years old (one year before my early retirement), with 17 years on the same job, what are my rights?
I do not contest their rights to down-size, I just contest the severance package offered to me, since I know that other people with less length of employment received more generous package.

 

[CheeseBlotto]

What is the name of your state? New York.
Recently my company was sold to a bigger one. The new company decide to lay-off over 15% of the work force. I'm almost 61 years old and after 17 years, I just received a termination notice. If I will signed the severance agreement I will receive the equivalent to 13 weeks of base pay. I have 21 days to decide.
My question is:
As a women, US citizen, 61 years old (one year before my early retirement), with 17 years on the same job, what are my rights?
I do not contest their rights to down-size, I just contest the severance package offered to me, since I know that other people with less length of employment received more generous package.

There's no legal requirement to offer severence at all. There's also no law that says that any severance packages offered have to be based on length of service.

 

[pattytx]

What is the name of your state? New York.
As a women, US citizen, 61 years old (one year before my early retirement), with 17 years on the same job, what are my rights?

Your only legally-protected right is the 21-days you have to review the severance agreement. Such a right is granted by the ADEA. That's it.