Q: Seeking actionable lawsuit for mother's forced retirement before pension milestone.

A: What happened to your mother sounds deeply unfair, and it makes sense that you’ve carried this question with you for so long. Being forced to retire just before a major pension milestone—especially under the threat of termination—is something worth looking into, even years later. While wrongful retirement claims are time-sensitive, there may still be avenues to explore, especially if her pension benefits were diminished and heirs can show harm tied directly to her forced exit.

To begin, you’ll want to locate her employment and pension records, which are key to understanding the details. Since Bell of Pennsylvania later became part of Verizon, their pension and HR departments (or the third-party company that now handles legacy employee records) may have archived files. You can start by contacting Verizon’s benefits center and asking for information on retirees from Bell of PA. You might also file a request with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), which oversees retirement plans and may be able to help you track down plan details or report concerns.

Once you have her records and can document what was lost—like a missed pension tier or denied time bridging—you’ll have a better sense of whether there’s a potential case or at least grounds to challenge the pension determination. Even if a lawsuit isn’t possible due to time limits, some pension issues can be appealed or re-examined. The fact that your mother was told she had no choice adds weight to the situation. Now that you’re retired, you’ve got the freedom to pursue this without fear—and you have every right to seek answers for her and for your family.