What Makes a Termination Wrongful?

Californian workers depend on your paycheck to meet your daily living expenses, pay your bills, and cover necessities. Accordingly, if you feel you have been wrongfully terminated, you should be able to access compensation to make up for this sudden financial upset in your life.

FindLaw takes a look at wrongful termination claims, asking what makes a termination wrongful in the first place. After all, even in at-will states, there are still reasons for which an employer cannot legally terminate you.

For example, if you’re fired as a result of a violation of state or federal anti-discrimination laws, this is considered to be a wrongful termination. These anti-discrimination laws typically cover protection for your:

• Race
• Creed
• Religion
• Sex
• Nationality

In some states, your gender identity, political affiliations, or sexuality are also protected under anti-discrimination laws. If you believe you were fired as a form of sexual harassment, or if being terminated violated oral or written agreements between you and the employer, it also falls under this umbrella.

There are whistle-blower protections in place for workers as well. This means that if you file a complaint or claim against your employer, or “blow the whistle” by calling a higher-up organization such as OSHA and telling them about illegal practices going on in your workplace, you cannot be fired in retaliation for doing so.

If you believe you have been let go for any of the above reasons, it might be a case of wrongful termination. Consider contacting an attorney to learn more.