4 Ways To Tell If You Have Been Wrongfully Terminated
Posted on: 28 February 2020
Job loss can be terrifying. Termination is often a cause of great upheaval in a person's life, especially since getting terminated may make you ineligible for unemployment benefits. If you've recently been fired from a job unexpectedly and without cause, you may have a case for a wrongful termination suit. Wrongful termination occurs when your employer fires you for an illegal reason or fires you in a way that breaches a contract they made with you. If these four statements apply to you, it's possible you have been wrongfully terminated:
1. Your employer broke your contract.
Contracts are legally binding agreements that two or more parties make with each other. Many companies ask their staff members to sign an employment contract when they begin their term of employment. Your contract should outline the bounds of acceptable behavior and guidelines for termination. If you were given such a contract and upheld your end of the agreement while your employer terminated you regardless, you may have been fired illegally.
2. Your employer fired you despite telling you they would not do so.
If you took a position at a company because you were promised job security and you were fired anyway, you may have been a victim of wrongful termination. Verbal agreements are just as binding as legal contracts, although it may be harder to prove your case without sufficient evidence. If your boss at any point promised they would not fire you, then did so without a good reason, this can be considered wrongful termination.
3. Your employer fired you for your status as a protected class.
There are several classes which are federally protected. Sex, age, race, nationality, religion, and disability are all protected classes. Some states may designate additional protected classes at their discretion. You cannot legally be fired for any of these reasons, even if you work in an at-will state. You can use for wrongful termination based on discrimination if your employer fired you for belonging to a protected class.
4. Your employer fired you for whistleblowing.
Whistleblowing is a term for alerting the proper authorities to illegal or unsafe practices occurring in the workplace. Whistleblowers cannot be fired for filing a report to the authorities. If you are a whistleblower who was terminated for your actions, you have a wrongful termination case.
If you identify with one or more of these scenarios, your former employer may have fired you illegally. Get in touch with an attorney who specializes in wrongful termination. They can advocate on your behalf to get you the compensation you may be entitled to.
Share