Former advisor at the Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Sandra Parra, filed a lawsuit against USC alleging wrongful termination related to age and disability discrimination, according to court documents.
Parra was terminated in August 2025 after more than 28 years at the university. Her lawsuit raised claims of disability and age discrimination, retaliation, harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She was 55 years old at the time of termination.
The lawsuit is the second wrongful termination suit to emerge this past year after Cheryl Piazzola, a former special project manager in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, sued the university on counts of wrongful discharge, retaliation, harassment and infliction of emotional distress.
Piazzola, who worked at USC for about 20 years, alleged in a court filing that the university repeatedly denied her claims after her termination in 2024, which followed an extended medical leave for a work-related injury.
In a statement to Annenberg Media about Parra’s lawsuit, the university said it was “proud of the work environment we provide to all of our employees. These claims have no legal merit, and we will defend ourselves against them in court.”
According to Parra, USC has a pattern of replacing older workers with younger, non-tenured employees. She was laid off the same day she filed a workers’ compensation claim due to alleged workplace hostilities.
Following the death of her son, Parra suffered severe emotional distress and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to her lawsuit. She said she requested to work from home, which was not granted. Instead, USC offered her a private office next to Human Resources, which she said made her feel uncomfortable.
Parra also alleged that the building contained asbestos mineral fibers, which are often found in older building materials and heighten the risk of developing lung disease, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
A Feb. 2 memo from the Office of Environmental Health and Safety announced that buildings older than 1981 may contain asbestos in public areas. While the Social Work Center was built in 2003, the Montgomery Ross Fischer Building was constructed in 1974, according to the building’s plaque. It is unclear which building Parra worked in.
The USC Office of Civil Rights Compliance’s Notice of Non-Discrimination states USC “prohibits discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived … age and disability” among other identifying categories. Under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, older workers are protected from discrimination in their employment search and retention.
As USC reviews the lawsuit, a case management hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20, 2026.