Wrongful Discharge or Termination

Protecting You From Wrongful Discharge or Termination

If you have been laid off or fired recently, and believe that you may have lost your job for an unlawful reason you may have a right to bring a claim for wrongful termination against your former employer. Legal remedies that may be available to you include money damages and, if you haven't been officially released yet, negotiation for an appropriate severance package that includes adequate compensation.

Most employment relationships are considered “at-will,” where either party can terminate the employment at any time for any reason whatsoever. However, “at-will” employment only applies in the absence of an employment contract. If the parties have a contract, the terms of the contract apply. A contract can be formed in a variety of ways. The parties may have oral discussions that include promises to perform, or representations may be made during training or in policy manuals. Additionally, even if employment is considered “at-will,” a person may not be terminated in violation of state or federal employment law.

The term "wrongful termination" means that an employer has fired or laid off an employee for illegal reasons in the eyes of the law. Illegal reasons for termination include:

• Firing in violation of federal and state anti-discrimination laws;
• Firing as a form of sexual harassment;
• Firing in violation of oral and written employment agreements;
• Firing in violation of labor laws, including collective bargaining laws; and
• Firing in retaliation for the employee's having filed a complaint or claim against the employer.

Some of these violations carry statutory penalties, while others will result in the employer's payment of damages based on the terminated employee's lost wages and other expenses. Certain wrongful termination cases may raise the possibility that the employer pay punitive damages to the terminated employee, while other cases may carry the prospect of holding more than one wrongdoer responsible for damages.

At the Bononi Law Group, in Los Angeles California, we represent individuals wrongfully discharged in violation of an employment contract. We represent employees from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Kern and Fresno counties. Contact us for a free initial consultation.