If you have faced the unfortunate incident of being fired by your employer without a valid reason or for no reason at all, you must naturally be agitated, troubled, and under a lot of stress. Even though the “at-will” nature of work allows employers to fire anyone without reason, the practice could still be illegal in many cases.
You might want to pursue a legal route to get yourself reinstated and/or to demand relevant compensation for the trouble you have been put through by your employer.
Your version of wrongful termination will need solid legal backing if it has to be taken up by a legal forum. Comprehending laws and regulations governing the category of your termination can be an intimidating task, given the complexity of pursuing the legal remedies available. The legal proceeding will drain you mentally, and even then, there will be no guarantee of coming up with a case worth pursuing. Therefore, you need the guidance and representation of a skilled unlawful termination lawyer.
In this article, we will understand various categories of unlawful termination and give you reasons for hiring a wrongful termination lawyer.
What will an Unlawful Termination Lawyer do differently?
If you are a hundred percent certain that your termination falls under one of the categories that we will mention next, you should consult an unlawful termination attorney immediately.
Unlawful Termination Categories
Wrongful termination is an event in which an employer fires an employee without a valid reason (even in the case of at-will employment) but for an illegal precedent such as:
1. Retaliatory reasons
If your termination stems from retaliation against your whistleblowing activity in your organization for any illegal conduct such as harassment, compliance failure, concerns for workplace safety, unpaid wages or hour violations, etc., you can approach a legal forum for your case. California whistleblower laws are very clear and in such cases lawyers can help you recover your losses.
2. Harassment and Discrimination
If your termination stems from discrimination based on color, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, pre-conceived notions, disabilities, or even age, it falls under unlawful termination, and you will be entitled to pursue a legal claim. In addition, termination of employment rooted in sexual or other forms of harassment will also fall under this category.
3. Public Policy Violations
If your termination stems from a morally corrupt reason such as being fired for exercising a legal right, refusal to be a part of illegal conduct at the workplace, being a part of reporting the wrongdoings such as fraud, it falls under the violation of public policy and can be pursued in a court of law.
4. Violation of Employment Contract
If your termination is in clear violation of the contract (or any clause(s) within it) you signed with your employer at the time of onboarding, you can have a strong case of unlawful termination, and you will be entitled to relevant legal recourse.
A Lawyer Will Help You Collect and Compile Evidence For Your Case
An unlawful termination attorney will help you identify the category of your termination from service and help you build a strong case for your lawsuit or claim against your employer. They will guide you in the process of collecting necessary evidence according to the relevant category. They will thoroughly evaluate the employer documents from the available lot, including the termination and hiring documents.
Reviewing employer documents will provide them with the required sauce on your employer. After the review process and gathering all necessary evidence, they will compile them in a manner of creating a winning case.
A Lawyer Will Provide Legal Options and Considerations For A Claim
Based upon the collected evidence, a lawyer will help you weigh in your legal options and financial loss. They will introduce you to the compensation that you may be entitled to, such as lost pay and benefits, damages in the form of emotional stress, and more. They will provide you with options of pursuing your claim in a forum that would be more likely to provide you a fast and apt remedial action.
Conclusion
Unlawful termination of employment can be very taxing for you, and following a legal discourse can become challenging given the stress you will be under and the complex nature of the same. For all of these reasons, you should approach a skilled, experienced, and reputed unlawful termination lawyer to help you smoothly navigate the legal process of bringing your employer to book.
