When to Seek Restitution for Wrongful Termination

When to Seek Restitution for Wrongful Termination

Nearly everyone has been let go from a job at some point, and there are a variety of reasons for which employers decide to part ways with their employees. While it can certainly hurt to lose a job, many members of the workforce simply let it go and move on to the best of their abilities – even if they feel that they were wrongfully terminated. Although not every firing constitutes wrongful termination, a fair number of them do. So, if you’ve been fired from a job for any of the following reasons, consider discussing your options with a lawyer. 
 
Refusal to Contribute to a Hostile Work Environment 

To call certain workplaces toxic would be an understatement. Many places of business have deep-seated cultures of bullying, harassment and mind games, and when employees are unwilling to actively contribute to such hostile environments, retaliation is not uncommon. So, if you were let go for refusing to become part of the problem, your former employer shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this.  

Inconsistent Disciplinary Measures 

When employers enforce disciplinary measures for specific actions, it’s important that the consequences be equal for everyone found guilty of said actions. If some individuals are let off with a warning while others are severely disciplined, this fosters an atmosphere of inequality and unpredictability. Needless to say, if you were fired for actions that have never facilitated the same consequence for other employees, you may have a wrongful termination case on your hands.    

Violating Rules You Never Knew Existed 

It’s always a good idea for employers to have clearly defined rules. When the rules of a certain are vague or simply nonexistent, it can be difficult for workers to gauge when they’ve done something wrong. For example, if you were fired for failing to meet a specific sales quota but were never informed of said quota’s existence prior to your firing, reach out to a knowledgeable attorney on the double. To ensure that employees always have a good sense of what the rules are, employers would do well to avoid simply making up rules on the spot and using violation of these impromptu rules as an excuse for letting people go.   

You Were Harassed  

Harassment in the workplace is an all-too-common problem, be it sexual, race-based or general bullying. If anyone in your workplace has made comments or engaged in actions that have made you uncomfortable or caused you to doubt your worth, there’s a good chance that harassment is at play, regardless of how much the offending parties attempt to pass their behavior off as a joke. Needless to say, if you lost your job in response to speaking out against workplace harassment, a lawyer should be informed of this at once.  

You Were Injured 

If you become injured on the job, your employer is obligated to provide you with workers compensation, especially if your injury came about as a result of negligence on their part. Unfortunately, some employers will fight tooth and nail to avoid paying workers compensation claims. In some cases, they’ll even fire injured employees in an attempt to be rid of the problem. If this has happened to you, getting in touch with a highly-rated workers compensation attorney should be among your foremost priorities. 

You Were Retaliated Against 

Employer retaliation is among the most common reasons for wrongful termination. As the name suggests, this type of wrongful termination refers to retaliation on the part of your employer in response to certain behaviors being called out. Workers should never be afraid to call attention to unscrupulous or outright illegal behavior on the part of their employers. For example, if you discover that your employer is committing fraud against the U.S. government, speak to an attorney about the Qui tam False Claims Act. 
 
Few things are more disheartening than being let go from a job. The longer you’ve held a certain job, the more devastating the loss of that job is likely to be. Of course, this isn’t to say that the loss of a job you’ve only held for a short time is any easier. While moving on in the wake of a job loss is generally a good idea, this doesn’t mean that you should allow your former employer to get away with wrongful termination. So, if any of the examples discussed above apply to your firing, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a good lawyer.