Companies often have legitimate reasons for terminating employees’ positions. Sometimes, they have no reason at all. In fact, employment in most states is considered “at will,” which means that an employer can fire you for no reason at all.
Sometimes, they do so for the illegal reasons. While proving it may be difficult, you and your employer may be aware of the real reason. The attorneys at Nilges Draher LLC explain.
Illegal reasons to fire an employee
These are the most common reasons why an employer may wrongfully terminate an employee’s position:
- The employee was a whistleblower. If the management of the company you work for engaged in discriminatory employment practices or illegal activity and you reported it, you may have legal protection if you are fired for doing so.
- Discrimination. An employer can’t fire you because of your age, race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, pregnancy, religion, or disability, among other things. These are protected under federal and state law. Firing someone because they are a member of one of these protected classes is illegal.
- Taking protected medical leave. If you qualify for family and medical leave, your employer cannot fire you because you took medical leave, or to prevent you from taking medical leave.
- Sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is common in the workplace and often goes unreported. If you were a victim of sexual harassment, you have the right to speak up and not be penalized for doing so. It doesn’t matter who the perpetrator is. It could be another employee, manager, or supervisor.
- An employee asserted his or her rights to be paid fairly. If you are fired because you complained about your company engaging in unlawful pay practices, such as requiring you to work off the clock without pay, you may have a legal remedy for wrongful termination.
What should I do if I was wrongfully terminated?
Being fired from a job for no fault of your own can be a devastating experience. You may have trouble making ends meet and provide for your family while you’re unemployed. In addition, you may not be fully aware of your rights or certain where to turn.
If you feel that you were wrongfully terminated from your job, it’s important that you discuss your case with an experienced Ohio employment law attorney at Nilges Draher LLC. Our legal team will launch a thorough investigation into the events that led to your termination.
We may find proof that your employer treated you poorly before terminating your position. This may include interfering with your performance, harassment, passing you up on a promotion, discrediting your work or purposely excluding you from a meeting or company event.
Our attorneys will fight to help you recover the damages accrued from your wrongful termination. We’re located in Cleveland, but we serve clients throughout Ohio. Contact us to schedule your free and confidential case consultation.