Job security is one of the most important things to have in a tough economy, but struggling companies sometimes have to make cutbacks. Any number of issues can contribute to employment termination, from unacceptable performance on the part of the employee to lack of money on the part of the employer. However, termination based on unfair discrimination regarding how you live your life is not a legal.
A Washington man has recently been chosen to fill an associate principal position after he was forced out of his previous job as vice principal at a suburban Catholic school. Most notable about the man’s employment termination was that it happened only a few months after he married his same-sex partner. He is suing the school for wrongful termination, believing that he was fired due to his sexual orientation and not his job aptitude. The fact that the man was recently hired over at least 60 other applicants for a new job as associate principal may lend credibility to his previous job performance.
While employers have a large influence over who works for them, they cannot fire people without good reason. Even in California, where “at-will” employment laws may make sudden terminations more common, employers cannot fire their employees for unlawful reasons. Such reasons can range from discrimination based on race or religion to retaliation for exercising rights like filing a sexual harassment complaint.
If you believe that your employment was terminated unlawfully, you may be entitled to compensation. Sudden loss of employment can throw your finances into turmoil, as bills continue to pile up, but wages cease coming in. As you seek alternative employment free of discrimination, you can ensure that you do not accrue unfair debt because of wrongful termination.
Source: San-Francisco Chronicle, “New job for gay former Catholic school leader,” April 25, 2014