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Dealing with a wrongful termination

Losing a job can be a devastating blow. With it may come shock and disbelief, followed by embarrassment or even anger. However, if a worker in California feels he or she is the victim of wrongful termination, that person may decide to take legal steps against the employer.

Most people understand that they cannot be fired because of their race, gender or other discriminatory reasons. An employer cannot fire someone as a way of retaliating for some complaint or report the worker may have made regarding wrongful activities on the job or within the company. Firing someone who refuses sexual advances is also against the law. If a termination violates labor laws or employment agreements, it may also be illegal.

Often when a person takes a job, he or she signs a contract that may include provisions for hiring and firing that the employee should look over. An employee who is fired has every right to ask his employer why he or she has been terminated and who made the decision. The employee may also request to review his or her personnel file to see if it contains any records of punishable offenses.

Those in California who feel their termination was illegal can get sound advice from an attorney. An attorney will help them understand the law and make wise decisions about how to proceed. There may be the possibility of negotiating with the former employer for severance packages. However, one’s attorney may feel that a wrongful termination claim is in the client’s best interest.

Source: findlaw.com, “Wrongful Termination Claims“, Accessed on Sept. 12, 2016