Wrongful Termination
Helping Victims of Wrongful Termination in Southern California
Losing your job is a frightening prospect, but even if you feel that you were wrongfully terminated, you may believe there is nothing you can do about it. Sometimes a termination may not seem fair, but that does not mean it was illegal. There are, however, many times when a termination is unlawful, and you can take legal action to reclaim your job and lost wages, or seek other compensation for harm caused by your employer’s illegal act. Talk to a Los Angeles wrongful termination lawyer to see what your options are after losing your job. See below for information about wrongful termination in California, and contact the Kawahito Law Group in Los Angeles if you have been wrongfully terminated in Los Angeles, Riverside or San Bernardino County.
California is an at-will employment state
Unless you have a contract of employment, belong to a union or are a government worker, it is likely that you are an “at-will” employee. At-will employment basically means that you can be fired “at will” by your employer, at any time and without the employer giving you a good reason for the termination. While this may not always seem fair, it is the law in the state of California and many places around the country. However, even an at-will employee is protected from a wrongful discharge based on grounds such as employment discrimination, retaliation or whistleblowing. Also, you may be a contractual employee with protections against termination at will and not even know it. At the Kawahito Law Group, we offer a free initial consultation to help determine whether you have a case of wrongful termination on any of these grounds.
Employment Discrimination
Local, state and federal laws protect workers from discrimination in employment based on a number of different characteristics, including age, race, gender, disability, religion and others. For instance, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, you cannot be fired based on your race, gender, religion and other factors. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects workers over 40 from being fired because of the age, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects qualified individuals with disabilities from being terminated based on their disability. There are many other laws as well, including the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), which prohibit unlawful employment discrimination. Each law has its own criteria for covered employers and covered employees. It is important to discuss your case with a qualified employment law lawyer who can determine whether a violation has occurred and can advise you on the proper way to file your claim.
Retaliation and Whistleblowing
Workers are often fearful that they will be fired in retaliation for complaining about unsafe working conditions or illegal activity in the workplace, or for exercising certain rights. One very common instance is workers being fired for filing a workers’ compensation claim, or even just seeking information about workers’ comp after an on-the-job injury. California workers’ compensation law protects employees from retaliation for filing a claim. Other laws protect workers from reprisal for reporting an unsafe workplace, or for cooperating with an investigation into company fraud or other illegal activity. If you believe you were fired in retaliation for filing a workers’ comp claim, reporting company misconduct, or complaining of unpaid overtime or some other wage violation, you may have a valid wrongful termination claim against the company.
At-Will Employment is not Absolute. Call Kawahito Law Group to Discuss a Los Angeles Wrongful Termination Claim.
Your employer may consider you to be an at-will employee, but there are many ways an employer can convert at-will employment to a contractual relationship, such as through the use of employee handbooks, company policies and even oral promises. Even if you are at-will, you are still protected against unlawful actions by your employer. If you believe you may have been wrongfully terminated from your employment, contact the Kawahito Law Group in Los Angeles at 310-746-5300 to speak with a dedicated, resourceful California wrongful termination lawyer who gets results.