WERE YOU WRONGLY TERMINATED FROM A JOB

If you have been unlawfully fired or laid off by your employer, it is advisable to seek the advice of an attorney with specific experience in the area of employment law. Our wrongful termination lawyers in Philadelphia and Mount Laurel provide effective legal representation to clients in employment discrimination and wrongful termination cases.

What Does at-will Employment mean for an Employee?

In certain states, employees can be hired under an “at-will” employment contract, a type of contract that is vastly different from other forms of employment contracts. Under an at-will employment contract, employees can be fired or terminated from their employment for any reason at any time, with some exceptions. For instance, if an employer is unhappy with an employee’s job performance, found an employee who could do the job better, or just simply does not need the employee’s work anymore, an employer can fire an “at-will” employee immediately, without giving the employee a warning, reprimand, or notice.

Although at-will employment contracts give employers great leverage to terminate an employee’s employment, they still cannot terminate the employment for reasons that are deemed protected under the law. For example, an employer still cannot terminate an employee for discriminatory purposes or in retaliation for whistleblowing. Any violation of those protections by your employer gives you the right to take legal action against the employer. If you feel that you have been wrongfully terminated under an at-will employment contract, contact Zeff Law Firm and one of our skilled wrongful termination attorneys will be able to assist you with your case.

What Qualifies as Wrongful Termination?

Wrongful termination occurs when an employee is fired or terminated, and that termination breached either their employment contract or a legal protection against wrongful termination. If the employee has a contract for employment through their employer, it will often require the employer to detail the reason or reasons for the termination of the employee. However, this criterion does not apply if the employee is an at-will employee because such an employment contract allows employers to terminate employment for any reason (so long as the reason is not related to a legally protected characteristic, such as race, religion or disability). In any state, whether it allows at-will termination or not, employers are not permitted to terminate any employee (whether a contract employee or an at-will employee) for legally protected reasons. In other words, employers can never terminate an individual because of a protected status, or in retaliation for taking actions that are fully within the employee’s rights, such as filing a workman’s compensation claim or making a complaint about a supervisor. These instances can be harder to prove, as at-will states give employers the upper-hand in hiring and firing decisions, but hiring a wrongful termination attorney like those at Zeff Law Firm will give you the best chance to prove that you were wrongfully terminated.

What are Wrongful Termination Examples?

There are quite a few examples of what qualifies as wrongful termination, but here are some instances when employees may have been wrongfully terminated:

• Ending an employee’s contract (not at-will contracts) without reason
• Firing an employee that refused to break law/policy
• Discriminating against employees that are protected by law
• Retaliation for complaining/whistleblowing against a superior
• Termination for firing a workman’s compensation claim
• Termination because of medical issues

If any of these examples have happened to you, contact the experienced wrongful termination laywers at Zeff Law Firm for a free consultation.

Is Wrongful Termination Difficult to Prove?

Depending on the circumstances of your employment, wrongful termination can be tricky to prove. In instances where the employee is not working under an at-will employment state, many contracted employees are, when terminated, provided with an explanation as to why they are being fired, which often can give them a better idea of whether their termination was ‘fair’. If, for example, the official explanation for the employee’s termination did not match up to internal communications and reprimands on the employee’s file, that could suggest that there were other reasons for termination at play. In instances where employees are under an at-will employment contract, it can be even more difficult to prove that the employee was wrongfully terminated. If you believe you may be wrongfully terminated, wrongful termination attorneys recommend that you collect as many communications, records of reprimands, and other internal documents that can help prove your side of the story.

Can you Sue for Wrongful Termination in an at-will State?

Although it may be inherently more difficult to successfully sue for wrongful termination in an at-will state, you can still sue. Although at-will employment generally allows employers more flexibility with terminating employees, they are still required to obey the laws of the nation and guarantee their employees access to specific protection and rights. In both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, employees who are not specifically contracted under their employer are considered at-will employees. However, these states are still subject to federal and state laws and protections which guarantee at-will workers protection from termination on grounds that violate those statutes. Because at-will wrongful termination can be harder to prove, it is highly recommended that you work with a skilled wrongful termination attorney like those at Zeff Law Firm in Philadelphia and Mt. Laurel. We have years of experience helping clients sue their former employers for wrongful termination.