Losing your job is one of the most stressful events that you may experience in your lifetime, and when you lose your job, not only are you affected, but everyone who relies on your income including your spouse and children is impacted as well. You may suddenly find yourself unable to pay your rent or mortgage, not able to buy food for your family, and wondering how this termination may impact your ability to get another job. We understand that losing your job can be distressing for you and your loved ones, and if you believe you may have been terminated for unfair and illegal reasons, contact our Inland Empire wrongful termination attorneys to schedule a consultation.
California law provides a broad umbrella of employment protections for employees. Our attorneys are employment law experts who understand California’s employment laws, the application of these laws, and related legal remedies. No one should be wrongfully terminated and if you have been, you deserve to be compensated for damages sustained as a result.
Types of wrongful termination
Wrongful termination cases generally fall under one of the following four categories:
- Retaliation – When an employer fires an employee because the employee exercised conduct or participated in an activity that is legally protected such as taking maternity leave or filing a workers compensation claim.
- Discrimination – An employee is fired because he or she is a member of a class that is protected by California law including, but not limited to, gender, gender identity, race, religion, military status, color, age, or disability. Examples of illegal discrimination include firing a transgender employee because he or she makes other employees uncomfortable or firing someone because he or she is infected with AIDS/HIV.
- Employment contract violation – Employment contracts are all different and need to be reviewed by an attorney before determining whether or not terms of the contract were violated. Employment contracts often provide terms that protect an employee’s position unless the employee engages in specific misconduct. Terminating his or her employment even though the employee did not engage in the specified misconduct may be in violation of the employment contract resulting in wrongful termination.
- Violations of public policy – Certain statutes and regulations are related to public policies in that they benefit society as a whole. Wrongful termination occurs when an employee is fired for exercising a legal right or obligation related to public policy. An example would be firing an employee for reporting an employer’s violation of a public policy statute or because an employee refused to engage in illegal conduct at his or her employee’s request.
It is illegal to terminate employment or punish an employee in retaliation, discrimination, in breach of an employment contract, or in violation of public policy. If you believe you may have been wrongfully terminated or that your employer has taken actions that negatively impact your job for illegal reasons, contact an Inland Empire wrongful termination attorney with Rager & Yoon – Employment Lawyers so that we can help you take necessary actions to get the redress and compensation that you deserve.