Signs You Were Illegally Fired From Your Job (Wrongful Termination)
You got a job, you have worked very hard, and you are living the dream -and then, seemingly out of the blue, you get a notice that your employment contract has been terminated. Whether you are given enough time to transition out of your job or maybe you are immediately walked to a parking garage with the box of your belongings, losing a job is regarded one of the most stressful experiences in life.
Currently, California is an at-will employment state. Therefore, an employer in this state can fire his or her employee at any moment or for any legal reason. However, despite this fact, there are times when firing an employee (or terminating his or her contract) will violate the law and the rights of an employee.
If you have been fired from your job, how do you determine if the termination was lawful or illegal (referred to as wrongful termination)? To help you answer this crucial question, we’ll uncover major signs of wrongful termination, so you’re aware of your rights as an employee in California -and so that you understand when it is necessary to fight back and hold your employer responsible for violating your rights.
You were discriminated against
Similar anti-discrimination laws which protect you during your hiring process protect you from being fired as well. Employers can’t fire an employee due to their gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, age (if over 40), or even national origin.
In many states, you also can’t be fired because of your pregnancy, marital status, or military affiliation. If any of these genetic or personal features acts the basis for the firing, again, you will possibly have a wrongful termination case against your employer.
Your employer made you a particular promise about your employment term
While employers do not have to have a particular reason for firing their employees in at-will employment states like in California, such firings can’t violate the terms of any existing employment contract.
For example, let us say an employee and his or her employer have a contract for a particular duration of employment. In case the firing violates this specific contract (because an employee was fired prior to the end of the period stated in the contract), it’ll possibly constitute a wrongful termination case (as long as an employee didn’t violate some other terms of that contract which could have led to firing).
You were fired after declining to do something unlawful
In some instances, employers may request their employees to conduct illegal businesses on their behalf. If employees decline to carry out these illegal acts and are eventually fired for their refusals, again, they’ll possibly have a wrongful termination case.
You were fired for exercising your rights as an employee
Employees have the rights to report an employer’s alleged illegal actions or the regulatory violations to the proper authorities. Moreover, employers have the right to request considerable disability accommodations (when necessary), take paid time off and expect to work in a safe environment.
When employees are fired for exercising these rights, they’ll possibly have been the targets of wrongful termination.
Have you been wrongfully fired by an employer? If so, then you can seek help from an experienced lawyer at the United Employees Law Group for effective legal advocacy in your pursuit of justice.
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