If your employer terminates you for reasons you suspect might be illegal, you may be able to bring a wrongful termination lawsuit against him or her.
It is important to understand the elements of illegal activity regarding the loss of employment, in case you find yourself facing such a situation.
Wrongful termination overview
There are many reasons an employer may choose to let you go. If you are consistently tardy, for example, or demonstrate poor work performance.
FindLaw states that wrongful termination includes losing your job in the following instances:
- As a form of discrimination
- As a result of you refusing unwanted sexual advances
- As retaliation for you filing a complaint against your employer
- In a way that violates your verbal or written employee contract
- In a way that infringes on your rights under labor laws
Potential remedies
Depending on the illegal action, several remedies may be available. For certain penalties, the guilty party may face jail time. Additionally, the courts may require your employer to recompensate you for lost wages. In other cases, negotiating a severance package may be appropriate. Severance pay, unemployment benefits and compensation for damages are all potential remedies.
Important tips
An employer may try to persuade you to drop litigation in exchange for accepting a deal. While this may be appropriate in some cases, it is crucial to carefully review any proposals made to you before accepting them. You may also want to see your employee file to verify any claims made against you of poor performance.
Knowing your rights when it comes to losing a job can help you determine if any illegal activity occurred.