They had 25+ years at their desks - then came the 50-pound climbing gear
Seven women who spent decades in AT&T's call center allege the company tied their termination pay to a pole-climbing test.
The workers filed a federal lawsuit on October 12, 2026, in the US District Court for the Central District of Illinois, alleging AT&T denied them the termination pay their years of service had earned when it closed its credit and collections office in Peoria, Illinois.
Each of the seven was over 50. Each had worked for AT&T for more than 25 years as a Customer Account Specialist - an office-based role. One had been with the company for more than 45 years. Together, they held seven of the 15 most senior positions among 33 employees in the office's credit and collections department, according to the complaint.
When AT&T announced the closure in June 2023, the complaint alleges, the company identified a handful of vacancies for displaced employees. None were office roles. None were in Peoria. None matched the workers' job title or title group. The openings included outdoor field positions in Indiana and various Illinois locations - roles like Customer Systems Technician, Engineering Assistant, Supply Attendant, and Telecommunications Specialist.
Then came the test.
According to the filing, AT&T conditioned termination pay on employees testing for those field positions - a process that included climbing a utility pole while carrying approximately 50 pounds of...
Jared Kushner’s attorney says his legal team has formally put Vanity Fair and its parent company, Condé Nast, on notice over allegations about President Donald Trump’s son-in-law that the lawyer ch...