When people lose their jobs, they may sometimes feel blind-sided because they thought everything was going just fine. It is important to remember that there are situations when it is illegal to fire an employee. It is a good idea for people to recognize these situations so they will know if they have been wrongfully terminated.
Wrongful termination can take several different forms. FindLaw says that sometimes discrimination can be the reason a person lost his or her job. Sometimes a company might fire people because of their age or gender. In this situation, people might notice that all of the people who lost their jobs were women or they were above a certain age. Additionally, an employer might fire people because of their ethnicity or nationality.
Retaliation can also be a basis for wrongful termination. Sometimes people may notice safety violations at their workplace and report them to the proper authorities. Additionally, some employees may assist with an investigation. Companies typically cannot fire their employees for reporting violations and helping with the resulting investigation.
Sometimes wrongful termination can involve a person’s medical history. The Muse says that companies are not allowed to make employment decisions based on a person’s medical information. This means that an employer cannot fire an employee after learning that he or she has a certain medical condition. Additionally, companies usually cannot fire their employees for discussing labor concerns. These concerns might include unions or higher wages. Sometimes an employment contract may state which circumstances can result in the end of the contract. If an employee’s firing does not match these circumstances, then he or she may have been wrongfully terminated.