Retaliatory Termination: What To Do If It Has Happened To You
Retaliatory termination is illegal. Employers may not fire an employee in retaliation for a claim of harassment, discrimination or wage and hour violations. State and federal laws have carved out certain exceptions to at-will employment to protect employees who report their employers for employment law violations.
If you believe that your employer terminated you in retaliation for reporting illegal actions, you may have the right to compensation. Damages available to employees for wrongful termination include lost wages and punitive damages.
At Bononi Law Group, LLP, our Pasadena retaliatory termination attorneys will evaluate your claim and assess whether you have a case to hold your employer accountable for retaliatory termination. We have handled hundreds of wrongful termination claims for employees in Southern California. Call us at 213-550-5503. Free consultation.
Retaliatory Discharge For Harassment And Discrimination
If an employee reports sexual harassment or workplace discrimination, the employee is protected from being fired. State and federal laws offer protections to encourage employees to report harassment and discrimination without fear of losing their jobs.
- Reporting sexual harassment: An employee is protected from retaliatory discharge when he or she reports sexual harassment or supports another employee’s claim of sexual harassment.
- Reporting workplace discrimination: An employee is protected when he or she reports or supports another’s claim of discrimination, such as gender discrimination, religious discrimination, race discrimination, sexual orientation discrimination or disability discrimination.
Retaliation For Reporting Wage Violations
Employee wage, overtime and hour regulations are mandated by both California and federal laws. Wage and hour laws are important to protect employees from abuse and establish a minimum hourly wage and work hour regulations. It is illegal for employers to violate wage and hour laws.
Our employment law attorneys have handled hundreds of claims against California and U.S. employers. We know how to hold employers accountable for retaliation after reporting wage and hour violations. If your employer retaliated against you for reporting any of the following employment law violations, you have rights:
- Failure to pay state or federal minimum wage
- Failure to pay nonexempt employees for overtime
- Misclassification of employees as exempt
If you report a wage and hour law violation and your employer takes action to discharge or demote you, contact our attorneys immediately. We are passionate about employees’ rights and have represented employees for more than two decades.
Protection From Retaliatory Discharge For Reporting Illegal Activities
Employees are also protected when they report illegal activities by their employer. For example, if an employer is illegally billing Medicare/Medicaid and the employee reports the illegal activity, the employee is protected. There are several whistleblower protections that allow an employee to report an employer. If an employer fires the employee as a result, the employee may have the right to sue for retaliatory termination.
Other protected employee acts include:
- Serving in the armed forces
- Taking leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act
Our firm has significant experience handling complex retaliation claims. Contact our Pasadena law office, Bononi Law Group, LLP, or call our retaliatory termination law firm at 213-550-5503 to discuss your rights after retaliation.
