Can I Sue My Employer For Retaliation – As an employment attorney, I often get questions about termination wrong. Recently someone contacted me complaining that he had been fired without reason. Although it is unfair for your employer to fire you without cause, it does not legally qualify as wrongful termination. It is legal to fire someone without “just cause” in virtually any state. In fact, employers can fire someone for no reason, a bad reason, or even a deliberately wrong reason.
If you’ve been fired, you’re probably wondering, “How do I know if I’ve been wrongfully fired?” Getting fired is stressful and painful. But before you contact an employment lawyer, it’s important to understand the difference between a simple unfair termination and an arguable wrongful termination.
Can I Sue My Employer For Retaliation
Almost everyone who gets fired has a question on their mind: How do I know if I’ve been fired unfairly? This is a frequently asked question. But there is a big difference between the public perception of wrongful termination and the legal definition of wrongful termination.
Retaliation In The Workplace
The legal definition of wrongful termination is very specific. Unless your dismissal meets certain criteria, you may not have any legal remedies.
Here’s what qualifies as wrongful termination: Your employer fires you for an illegal reason. In practice, this means that your employer would have to break the law for an unfair dismissal to turn into a wrongful dismissal.
As I often say to potential clients, “You can legally fire for good reason, for bad reason, or for no reason at all.”
It’s frustrating when you feel like your company has treated you unfairly but hasn’t broken the law. So how can you tell the difference between being fired for a bad reason and being fired for an illegal reason?
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Here are the two most common reasons people contact me about wrongful termination: mean bosses and false claims. In most cases, neither meets the legal definition of wrongful termination.
Stories of evil bosses are all too common. Some bosses never seem happy with their employees. And sometimes cruel bosses can cross the line into abusive behavior, such as yelling or bullying.
The phrase “hostile work environment” sounds like it fits these situations perfectly. Bosses can turn a productive, professional workplace into a stressful, toxic environment by their actions. But unfortunately, in most cases, the presence of a mean boss, even a very mean and arbitrary one, does not qualify as a hostile work environment. And it’s perfectly legal for a mean boss to fire employees for no reason, or even for a bad reason they believe is false.
Want to learn more about hostile work environments? What is a hostile work environment? But see our FAQ.
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“My co-worker falsely accused me and now I’m fired.” This is a situation I see often. However, the law does not protect employees from being fired for making a false statement.
Does this mean supervisors can fire employees for making false statements? It sounds unbelievable, but your employer can legally fire you for making a false allegation, even if you can prove it’s false.
Unfortunately, employers can fire people for unfair reasons. For example, your boss may fire you because they don’t like you or because you’re not “suitable” for the role.
But it is important to take a deeper look at these examples of unfair dismissal. Unfair dismissal is illegal if your boss fires you because of your disability, race or membership in another protected class. And not being a “good fit” is often a euphemism for discrimination based on gender, race or sexual orientation. In my experience, it’s not uncommon for people fired for bigotry to say they weren’t a “good fit.”
Can I File A Lawsuit For Retaliation?
Unfair dismissal can look like wrongful termination. Here is a recent example from my practice: An employee complained to HR about his boss’s bad behavior at work. Then the boss fired him.
But is it the wrong ending? Unless an employee has complained about illegal behavior, such as sexual harassment, workplace discrimination, shareholder fraud, or wage theft, a manager can legally fire an employee regardless of how well the employee has performed or how long the employee has been on the job. .
Can you sue for wrongful termination in an at-will employment situation? At-will employment means that employers can fire employees for any reason. But you can file a wrongful termination claim as you wish. That’s because even in at-will states, employers can’t fire people for illegal reasons.
State laws provide additional protection. In New York, for example, you are protected from unfair dismissal if you complain about wrongdoing. In New Jersey, you are also covered if you report something unethical about your employer.
What Makes A Strong Retaliation Case?
Let’s go back to that first question: How will I know if I’ve been wrongfully terminated? Before contacting an employment attorney, ask these legal questions about wrongful termination:
This can be a difficult question to answer, especially if your employer hasn’t provided a reason. But dig into the circumstances surrounding your dismissal. Was your termination part of a larger layoff? Did you have a performance improvement plan? Or were you on probation? In most cases, employers can legally fire employees in these circumstances.
Did your employer violate your rights or the law when they fired you? Unless you’re an employment lawyer, you won’t know the answer to this question. But there are some clear warning signs that your layoff may be breaking the law.
Consider this situation: You’ve recently complained to HR or your boss about discrimination, wage theft, or some other wrongdoing. Then your manager fired you. It can be seen as a revenge shooting.
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Or consider another situation: Your boss recently complained that you’re “not qualified for the job,” citing your gender, race, or age. If you are fired, it may be discriminatory dismissal.
If you are unsure whether your employer has broken the law, contact an employment attorney. Many offer free advice on your legal rights.
Charles Joseph has over two decades of experience in employment law and wrongful termination. He is the founder of Working Now and Then and the founder of Joseph & Kirschenbaum, which has recovered more than $140 million for clients. Do you feel you have been a victim of wrongful termination? Contact us today for a free consultation. If your employer is not paying you and you are not from Minnesota, please Google “last paycheck lawyer [insert your state]”.
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Los Angeles Employer Retaliation Lawyer
Federal law, set forth in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), provides fundamental protections for all workers, regardless of their occupation or legal documentation status. Your basic right as an employee under the FLSA is to be fully compensated for the work you do.
All money you earn is your property. If your employer refuses to pay you your earnings, you have every right to sue them for unpaid wages.
This also applies to employees who have quit or been laid off and have not yet received compensation for the last days or weeks of work. If you’ve worked before the deadline, you’ve made money and you deserve to see it. Again, these unpaid wages are a crime and you have the right to seek compensation.
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Under the FLSA, it is illegal for an employer to withhold your paycheck for any reason. Even late payment can be considered a violation of federal law.
Employers are required by law to pay their employees wages on the next traditional payday for the previous pay period. There are no exceptions to this rule, and many states have passed laws that penalize employers who delay paying their employees. Simply put, the days you are forced to wait for your due pay can be considered unpaid wages, giving you the right to file a lawsuit or legal action.
In most cases, your employer can reduce your wage or hourly wage (as long as it is less than the applicable federal or state minimum wage), but only if they give you advance notice.
Generally, salary cuts should not come as a surprise. If you are shocked to learn that your wages have been garnished, you may be a victim of wage theft and may be entitled to compensation in excess of the unpaid wages.
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If your employer decides to reduce your pay, you must be paid for all the hours you worked before the reduction was agreed at your old, higher salary. This also applies when employees are paid by the day.
Let’s say you get paid on Friday. You work Monday and Tuesday, and then on Wednesday your boss says he’s cutting your hourly wage. If you accept the reduction, you must be paid your base rate for hours worked on Monday and Tuesday.
On the other hand, if your boss deducts all hours worked that week, he or she would be in violation of wage and hour.
For your pay cut to be legal, you must agree to a lower salary. But you can’t just say, “No.” I think I will continue working
Workplace Retaliation Attorney United States
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