Wrongful Termination Lawyer
Were you wrongfully terminated?
Wrongful termination occurs when the grounds for your termination violate the law. In California, the majority of employment relationships are considered "at-will," meaning employers and employees have the freedom to terminate employment for almost any reason, even the reason is ridiculous. This "at-will" termination can be with or without cause, implying that you can be terminated without warning and without reason.
However, just because California is an at-will state, that doesn’t mean that all terminations are legal. At Hall Law Group, our attorneys can help if you suspect that your termination from a California company was illegal.
What are the exceptions to At-Will Employment in California?
There are certain exceptions that can make a termination a wrongful one. These exceptions include:
Termination for being in a protected class:
Employers cannot fire employees based on characteristics like race, gender, gender expression, national origin, religion, age, military status, or disability.
Termination for engaging in protected activities:
Employees are protected from employment discrimination when engaging in specific protected activities, such as taking protected leave, filing a workers' compensation claim, reporting wage violations, safety concerns, opposing illegal acts, or acting as whistleblowers.
Retaliation:
Employers cannot dismiss an employee for standing against discrimination or participating in an investigation related to employment discrimination.
Refusing to participate Illegal acts:
Employers cannot terminate employees for refusing to engage in actions the employees have a reasonable belief to be illegal.
Contractual obligations:
If you were hired to work for a company under an employment contract, then the employment contract should outline specific reasons for termination or require specific procedures to be followed. If you were terminated for any reason other than those stated in your contract, then you may have been wrongfully terminated.
Victims of wrongful termination in California have several legal options available. Depending on the circumstances, a fired employee might be able to file a lawsuit against the employer, seeking damages for lost wages, benefits, emotional distress, attorney fees, and more. However, proving wrongful termination claims can be challenging, usually requiring the expertise of employment litigation attorneys like the qualified team at Hall Law Group