In at-will employment states like California, employers can terminate their employees for any reason and at any time, as long as the reason is not considered unlawful. However, there is a fine line between being unfairly fired from your job and being unjustly fired from your job. It can sometimes be difficult to determine when termination is unfair and when it is unjust, especially if you are not familiar with the law as it pertains to wrongful termination. If you believe that you were unjustly fired from your job, consider meeting with an attorney to discuss the aspects of your case.
Our webpage on wrongful termination might help answer some of your questions and let you know if a wrongful termination lawsuit is a feasible option. It details some of the types of unlawful terminations from which California law protects employees thanks to acts like the Occupational Safety and Health Act or the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Generally speaking, termination is legally wrongful if the termination is based on something illegal, such as discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or even age. Employees are also protected from being fired for refusing to perform an illegal act on their employer’s behalf. Employers cannot fire employees in retaliation for whistleblowing either. It may surprise you to learn that you could even have a valid claim if your employer purposefully made working conditions so intolerable that you were forced to quit.
We understand that employment is one of the most important parts of life, and that you need your job to provide for yourself and your loved ones. If you have been suddenly and unlawfully terminated from your employment, you could be entitled not only to monetary compensation, but you could get your job back.