A former longtime USC employee is suing the university, alleging she was laid off in 2025 as part of a “pattern and practice” of older workers being replaced by younger personnel with less tenure.
Sandra Parra’s Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit allegations include disability and age discrimination, retaliation, harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The disability discrimination claim stems from the death of Parra’s son, the psychological effect it had on her and USC’s alleged failure to fully accommodate her according to her asserted needs.
Parra was 55 years old at the time of her layoff. She seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages as well as attorneys’ fees. A USC representative issued a statement regarding Parra’s case.
“USC is proud of the work environment we provide to all of our employees,” the statement read. “These claims have no legal merit and we will defend ourselves against them in court.”
Parra was hired in July 1996 and held the position of senior student programs adviser. Her son died in June 2021, leaving her with severe emotional distress and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the suit filed Tuesday, which further states that the plaintiff asked about working from home so as to avoid hearing even well-meaning employee comments about her loss.
Parra contends that under state law she was entitled to intermittent medical leave as well as accommodating work conditions for three years.
But Parra alleges that due to her accommodation requests, management in May 2022, began a pattern of discrimination, harassment and retaliation against her. Two deans told Parra’s colleagues that their flexible work schedules were being ended, which the plaintiff alleges was “calculated to isolate plaintiff and foment coworker hostility.”
Parra was told to be on campus all weekdays despite the medical information she forwarded to a dean, according to the suit, which further alleges that Parra suffered a mental breakdown due to the accommodation frustrations. She went on medical leave and was told by management before her return that she would be given a hybrid work schedule, but the commitments to her for her work conditions based on what her doctor recommended when she returned were not honored, the suit further states.
Parra was ultimately given a private office in February 2023, but it was next to human resources and she felt scrutinized, the suit states.
Parra also expressed concern about the asbestos in her building, believing her work environment was unsafe, the complaint states.
Last Aug. 12, the same day Parra filed a workers’ compensation claim because of the alleged workplace hostilities she had suffered since her son’s death, Parra was laid off and told that it was part of an office reorganization according to the suit, which also alleges USC tried to delay her receiving the workers’ compensation benefits.
Parra contends that USC has a “pattern and practice” of terminating older workers and replacing them with younger, less-tenured individuals, and that she was a victim of that effort. In addition to her alleged emotional distress, Parra says she also has suffered lost income and benefits.
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