Many employees across the country are vulnerable to being suddenly fired if their job is considered to be “at-will.” If you are employed “at-will,” it means that your employer can decide to fire you at any time, and for almost any reason. They can also fire you without giving you any reason at all.
However, there are still some situations in which “at-will” employees are protected from being fired. If you have recently been fired and you were an “at-will” employee, the following are some of the situations in which you may be able to take legal action against your employer.
Being fired for making a complaint or report
If you notice illegal or unsafe activity in your workplace, you have the right to report it internally or to a government agency. If your employer becomes angry about this, they may fire you, but this would be an illegal move on their part.
Being fired for asserting your legal rights
Your legal rights are always a priority. If you assert your legal rights and your employer fires you as a result, this would be classified as wrongful termination.
Being fired for a discriminatory reason
You can’t be fired for any discriminatory reason. This means that if an employer fires you because of your gender, race, nationality, religion or disability, you will likely be able to take legal action against them.
If you have recently been fired from your job, you should consider whether it will be possible to take legal action. Doing this may get your job reinstated or provide a path to gain compensation for the damages caused by the unlawful termination.