Wrongful Termination Lawsuits in the Workplace: Your Path to Justice
Losing employment unexpectedly creates financial hardship and emotional distress. While most states recognize at-will employment allowing termination without cause, significant exceptions protect workers from illegal firing. Understanding wrongful termination helps you identify when dismissal crosses legal boundaries and warrants pursuing compensation through litigation.
Common Wrongful Termination Scenarios
Discriminatory firings based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, or genetic information violate federal civil rights laws. Many states include additional protected categories like sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or political affiliation. Employers cannot disguise discriminatory intent through pretextual reasons that mask illegal motivations.
Retaliation represents another frequent wrongful termination basis. Firing employees for filing discrimination complaints, reporting safety violations, disclosing illegal activities, participating in workplace investigations, or requesting reasonable accommodations constitutes illegal retaliation. Whistleblower protections shield employees exposing fraud, environmental violations, securities violations, or other unlawful employer conduct.
Breach of contract occurs when employers violate written employment agreements, collective bargaining agreements, or implied contracts through established policies. Terminating employees for taking protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, serving jury duty, voting, or fulfilling military obligations violates public policy. Constructive discharge happens when employers create intolerable conditions forcing resignation, legally equivalent to termination.
Understanding At-Will Employment Limits
If you live in an “at-will” employment state, an employer can fire a worker for a variety of reasons without risking any legal recourse. But there are laws that protect workers and prohibit employers from unlawfully terminating a worker, which can include discrimination based on age, religion, disability, race or gender, or certain retaliatory measures.
You may have a wrongful termination or wrongful discharge claim if you are let go for the following reasons:
- Filing a workers’ compensation claim
- Serving on a jury
- Refusing to commit an illegal act
- Refusing to work in dangerous or hazardous conditions
- Reporting a labor violation
- Reporting a workplace safety issue
- Involved in whistleblowing activity
- Using accrued holiday or leave
- Using Family Medical Leave, or military leave
- Pregnancy
Contact an attorney to pursue legal action and potentially reach a settlement to get reinstatement or promotion, recover compensation for emotional distress, benefits, lost wages, and incur punitive damages against a company.
Joe Lyon is an experienced Wrongful Termination Lawyer and Employment Attorney representing plaintiffs nationwide in unlawful termination cases.
Employer Discrimination Claims
Employees fired for discriminatory reasons can file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Workplace discrimination cases can involve any of the following:
- Race
- Age
- Religion
- Sex and gender
- Sexual orientation
- Disability
- Status as an active-duty service person or recent veteran, as protected under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
Employment Claims & Labor Settlements
- Workplace Sexual Harassment
- Hostile Work Environment
- Wage and Hour Lawsuits
- OSHA Violations
- Employee Misclassification
- Fair Labor Violations
Hiring a Wrongful Termination Lawyer
Labor and employment law is complex and has changed over the years to better protect employees from unlawful employer activity and wrongful discharge.
Large settlements have been reached by legal teams following wrongful termination incidents. If you feel you may be a victim of discrimination or unlawful termination, contact an attorney to review your case.
Evidence Needed for Strong Claims
Documenting your employment history and termination circumstances strengthens claims substantially. Collect performance reviews, commendations, emails, and documentation showing satisfactory or excellent work. Gather evidence of the protected activity preceding termination, whether discrimination complaints, safety reports, or leave requests. Note timing between protected actions and dismissal, as temporal proximity suggests retaliation.
Preserve termination documentation including dismissal letters, severance offers, and exit interview notes. Document stated reasons for termination and gather evidence contradicting those explanations. Identify similarly situated employees who received different treatment, revealing discriminatory patterns. Witness statements from colleagues observing discriminatory conduct or hearing inappropriate comments provide powerful corroboration.
ABOUT THE LYON FIRM
Joseph Lyon has 17 years of experience representing individuals in complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals in every state against many of the largest companies in the world.
The Firm focuses on single-event civil cases and class actions involving corporate neglect & fraud, toxic exposure, product defects & recalls, medical malpractice, and invasion of privacy.
NO COST UNLESS WE WIN
The Firm offers contingency fees, advancing all costs of the litigation, and accepting the full financial risk, allowing our clients full access to the legal system while reducing the financial stress while they focus on their healthcare and financial needs.
Damages Available in Wrongful Termination Cases
Successful wrongful termination lawsuits recover multiple damage categories. Back pay compensates for lost wages from termination through trial or settlement. Front pay addresses future earning losses when reinstatement isn’t feasible. Compensatory damages cover emotional distress, reputational harm, and mental anguish caused by illegal firing.
Lost benefits including health insurance, retirement contributions, stock options, and bonuses factor into calculations. Punitive damages may apply when employer conduct demonstrates malice, fraud, or reckless indifference to legal rights. Attorney fees and litigation costs ensure victims can pursue justice without financial barriers. Some state laws provide statutory penalties multiplying actual damages.