California is an at-will employment state, which means that employers can fire their workers at any time and for any reason as long as that reason is not illegal. This obviously gives companies a great deal of discretion when it comes to their hiring and firing practices, and it may seem like employees have absolutely no say in what happens with their career. This is not entirely true, however, as employees do have rights that they can take advantage of if they believe they have been wrongfully terminated.
When considering a wrongful termination lawsuit, it is important to remain objective, trying to focus on ways in which the termination was unlawful as opposed to unfair. There are a few instances of obvious unlawful firing, such as being fired in retaliation for whistleblowing or reporting sexual harassment, or even being fired by a superior who has a documented history of discriminating against you for any reason.
Not every employee is blatantly mistreated or harassed, and these employees may believe that they have no chance of finding justice for a termination that they know was wrong. These individuals are encouraged to remember that every case is unique, and depending on the circumstances, there is always a chance to file a successful claim.
Our website contains useful information about things that can help build a strong wrongful termination case. For example, if you received multiple promotions and positive reviews over many years with a company and you were fired suddenly and without any warning, you may have a wrongful termination case on your hands. If you live in California and you have been fired for a reason that you believe that you were wrongfully terminated, we would love to set up a free consultation with you so that we can discuss your case.