I WAS TERMINATED BECAUSE OF MY PAY RATE AND OR MY AGE

The employer can lay off an employee for economic reasons when the company is not doing well.  The question is whether the decision to cut your hours or lay you off as opposed to someone else was based on discrimination or was a legitimate business decision.  The company cannot choose you over another to lay off because of your age.  You should discuss this with an attorney to see whether there is a claim for age discrimination or not.  Some of the information the attorney will want to know is whether others in your job title were also laid off or asked to reduce hours and whether the company hired or transferred a younger person over to your position after you were laid off, and who is doing the work you use to do.  The best way to look at this is for you to pretend you are the employer and being as objective as you can, did it make sense to lay you off.