Losing a job can be a serious blow, especially if the termination is unexpected or unwarranted. Employers are responsible for respecting the rights of their employees, especially as those rights apply to job termination. Under no circumstances should an individual lose their job because of who they are or what they believe. Beyond that, there are also several other reasons an employer should not be able to legally terminate their employees.
If you were recently terminated and you think the cause was unjustified, you may have an employment law case. To dig deeper into the issue, discover some of the main reasons for wrongful terminations.
Reasons for Wrongful Termination
Most wrongful termination cases fall into one of the following categories:
The employer violated an employment contract.
When a new employee is hired, it isn’t uncommon for the employer to create a contract. An employment contract can stipulate any number of rules regarding that individual’s obligations to the company, as well as the employer’s responsibilities to the employee. Within these types of contracts, there could be rules governing how and when a termination can take place. If the employer breaks this contract when they terminate the employee, they could be found in breach of the contract.
An employee is fired as a form of revenge or retaliation.
The workplace is no place for vengeful retaliation, but it happens nonetheless. If an employee does anything negative or adverse towards the management, and the company, in turn, fires that person, the termination could constitute a wrongful termination lawsuit. Employees are allowed to air out their grievances without fear of retaliation. If, for example, an employee is fired after voicing a concern about unpaid overtime work, they could have a lawsuit on their hands.
The termination occurs as the result of some type of harassment issue.
If you reported any type of harassment at work, including harassment by your superiors, you should not receive any type of retaliation for that issue. Everyone has the right to a safe work environment, and reporting harassment should never be considered grounds for termination. This also includes any situation where your employer pressures you to leave the company after you report a harassment issue.
Workplace discrimination led to wrongful termination.
Workplace discrimination is a very serious issue, especially if that prejudice or judgment led to loss of work. According to federal law, no employee can be judged based on their religion, race, age, or gender. If you are terminated because of any of these, you may have a wrongful termination lawsuit.
What is Considered Wrongful Termination?
Were you recently fired under suspicious or hostile circumstances? Losing employment is a very serious issue, as it affects your livelihood, your career, and potentially your future. If you were terminated for any unlawful reason, you have the right to pursue justice and compensation from your employer.
Contact Shellist Lazarz Slobin to discuss your issue with our employment law attorneys in Houston and find out if you have a case.