The San Francisco area is no stranger to large corporations. From production companies like Lucasfilm to retail chains such as Banana Republic and Old Navy, there are many business that call San Francisco home, but just because they’re large doesn’t mean they don’t have to obey the rules. California has very clear laws when it comes to employee rights, and San Francisco is not excluded from them. If these companies don’t play by the rules, employees can take the matter to court.
The massive social media site, Twitter, is learning this lesson the hard way, as a former employee has filed a lawsuit claiming wrongful termination and age discrimination. The 57-year-old man claims that he performed the functions of his job exceptionally, but he was fired without warning or explanation. A younger employee filled his position. In addition, the former employee’s supervisor allegedly criticized the age of the victim on at least one occasion.
Twitter has claimed that they will defend against the complaint, stating that it has no merit. However, it’s noteworthy that another large social media group, Facebook, faced similar allegations back in 2004. Regardless of prior allegations, if the former Twitter employee’s claims are found to be true, he is hoping to have his attorneys’ fees reimbursed as well as other unspecified damages.
Of course large tech companies aren’t the only groups that face such lawsuits. Any company can face a wrongful termination lawsuit if an employee feels that they were fired due to unlawful circumstances, such as discrimination or retaliation for filing complaints or whistleblowing. Like Twitter, most companies won’t take such a lawsuit quietly, but strong legal counsel can help victimized employees make a solid case and receive the compensation they deserve.
Source: Breitbart, “Twitter Sued For Age Discrimination,” Daniel Nussbaum, July 15, 2014