3 common signs of wrongful termination

There are certain circumstances under which an employer cannot legally fire you. If you were recently let go from your job in the Bay Area, you may wonder if your termination was lawful.

Here are three common red flags of wrongful termination to help you make sense of your situation.

1. Your employer violated your contract

If your employer cites something not clearly outlined in your employment contract as the reason for your firing, you may have a case for wrongful termination. By releasing you from employment in this fashion, your employer might have breached the terms of your contract, and you can lodge a complaint against them.

2. You filed a whistleblower complaint

Coincidences happen, but if you recently filed a whistleblower complaint against your employer for unsafe working conditions, harassment or discrimination and your employer fired you not long after, your situation has the appearance of a wrongful termination. Your employer cannot legally fire you for exercising your right to act as a whistleblower.

3. You recently took time off for medical reasons

The Family and Medical Leave Act allows you to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave a year for personal or family medical reasons. This act helps employees, but employers may not find it as helpful. If you took time off work for medical reasons shortly before your employer let you go, they might have broken the law.

You have rights as an employee. If you believe you were wrongfully terminated, you can take action against your employer to preserve them.