You have worked hard for your employer, followed company policies, and performed your job well. Then, after reporting workplace harassment, requesting medical leave, or raising concerns about unlawful conduct, you are suddenly fired. The timing feels suspicious. If this situation sounds familiar, you may have valid grounds for a wrongful termination claim.
At Employment Rights Lawyers, APC, our team of attorneys helps employees throughout Los Angeles and across California understand their employment rights and determine whether an employer’s actions violated employment law.
What Is Wrongful Termination?
Wrongful termination occurs when an employer fires an employee for a reason that violates federal or California employment law, established public policy, the terms of a contract, or other legal protections.
California is an at-will employment state, meaning employers can generally terminate employees for many reasons, or even no reason at all, and have broad discretion to make personnel decisions. However, they cannot terminate employees for unlawful reasons, such as discrimination, retaliation, or the exercise of protected workplace rights.
If you were wrongfully terminated, you may be entitled to:
- Lost wages and benefits
- Future lost earnings
- Compensation for emotional distress
- Reinstatement to your position in certain cases
- Attorney’s fees and legal costs when permitted by law
- Punitive damages in cases involving particularly egregious conduct
You May Have a Valid Wrongful Termination Case If:
You Were Fired Because of a Protected Characteristic
Employers cannot terminate you because of characteristics protected by law, including your age, race, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, disability, medical condition, or other legally protected statuses. If discrimination played a role in your termination, you may have a valid claim.
You Were Fired After Reporting Unlawful Conduct
You have legal protections when you report workplace misconduct. If you complained about harassment, discrimination, wage violations, safety concerns, fraud, or other unlawful activities and were terminated afterward, your employer may have engaged in unlawful retaliation.
You Were Fired for Requesting Medical or Family Leave
You have rights and protections under laws that protect qualifying medical and family leave. If your employer terminated you because you took approved leave, requested leave, or planned to exercise those rights, the termination may be unlawful.
You Were Fired After Requesting a Disability Accommodation
Employers generally must engage in the interactive process and provide reasonable accommodations when required by law. If you requested accommodation for a disability or medical condition and were subsequently terminated, your employer may have violated your rights.
You Were Fired for Refusing to Break the Law
Your employer cannot lawfully terminate you for refusing to participate in illegal activities. If you were pressured to violate regulations, falsify records, engage in fraud, or otherwise break the law and were fired for refusing, you may have grounds for a wrongful termination claim.
You Were Fired for Exercising Your Legal Rights
Employees are protected when exercising certain workplace rights. For example, you may have a claim if you were terminated for filing a wage complaint, participating in a workplace investigation, serving on a jury, or engaging in other legally protected activities.
Contact Us for a Free (and Confidential) Consultation
Losing your job can be financially and emotionally devastating, especially when you believe the termination was unlawful. Understanding whether your situation involves wrongful termination or a lawful employment decision often requires a careful legal analysis of the facts.
At Employment Rights Lawyers, APC, our team of attorneys represents employees throughout Los Angeles and across California in wrongful termination matters. If you believe your employer fired you for an illegal reason, contact us for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your potential claim and learn about your legal options.
