Like most parts of world, Weston operates on an “employment-at-will” statute. What this means is that your employer can fire you at any time provided that the ground is reasonable and lawful. The law also gives you as an employee the freedom to quit a particular job any time for whatever sensible reason.
So, what amounts to an unlawful termination? Here are five basics that explain the principle:
• Prejudice at work: If your employer fires you on grounds like race, ethnicity, age, gender, disability or marital status, it amounts to unlawful termination.
• You are owed an overtime pay: This is a claim that most employment discrimination Weston law firms handle regularly. The law allows you to sue your employer if he or she fires you because you demanded overtime wages.
• Whistle blowing In case you are fired because you reported an unfair situation at the workplace or a major scandal involving the employer, then the act is unlawful.
• You are on a family or medical leave: You are protected by the Family and Medical Leave Act and being fired for taking leave amounts to a violation of the act.
• Refusal to do an act: If your employer asks you to do something illegal like drugs or harasses you sexually and you refuse and this leads to your termination, then the act is illegal.
What Should You Do?
There are two major ways to go about a wrongful termination:
1. Speak to Human Resource: The HR can help in talking to your employer on your behalf. This approach will only work if the HR was not consulted when you were fired or he or she was not the one who fired you. If the HR was involved, then you should consider the second option.
2. Talk to an Attorney: You can visit a reputable employment discrimination Weston firm and ask for a lawyer to help you file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) or the court if it leads to it.
Understanding wrongful terminal laws is very significant but it is a very vast subject. Accordingly, to be sure about your next course of action, strive to partner with a reputable attorney in Weston to guide you through the process. Additionally, as you wait for the verdict of the EEOC or the court after a wrongful termination claim, you may find it necessary to look for a different job. This is because even if it’s likely that the employer will compensate you, it’s quite unlikely that you’ll get your old job back.