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Laid Off After 21 Years — No Severance, Non-compete… Is This Even Legal?

I’m still trying to process all of this and could really use some perspective.

I worked for a large national media company for over 21 years. About a week and a half ago, I was called into a room, told I was part of a mass layoff, handed the news, had my laptop taken, and that was basically it. No real explanation, no transition, nothing.

I followed up with HR yesterday and found out:

I’m not getting any severance
I’m apparently restricted from working for a competitor for 6 months

So after two decades of loyalty, I’m left with no income support and a restriction that directly impacts my ability to find work in the only industry I’ve built my career in.

I’ve got 3 kids to support, so this feels especially overwhelming.

A few things I’m trying to understand:

Is it actually legal to enforce a non-compete when there’s no severance or compensation tied to it?
Has anyone successfully challenged something like this?
Is it even worth pursuing an employment lawyer, or will a massive corporation just drag things out until it’s not worth it?

This whole thing feels incredibly one-sided, and I’m trying to figure out if I have any real options here.

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been through something similar—especially if you had any success pushing back.

Thanks in advance. Location: Chicago, IL

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Laid Off After 21 Years — No Severance, Non-compete… Is This Even Legal?

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