When an employer terminates you, it may seem as though you have no recourse, especially if the firing does not involve discrimination or retaliation that you can easily identify. However, if you have an employment contract, it is wise to review it to make sure that your termination is valid.
All employment contracts have terms that both the employee and employer must honor. This includes grounds for termination and terms under which you may leave employment voluntarily. If your termination violates the terms of the contract, then you may have grounds to fight it in court.
Such violations may take many forms. In some instances, an employer may terminate an employee before the end of a predetermined length of time or may not include fair severance terms. Often, a company may try to skirt around severance obligations, especially if an employee faces some form of public accusation that is unrelated to the company. While the company certainly has the right to manage its public relations carefully, this does not necessarily give it the right or legal power to deny a terminated employee severance according to his or her employment contract.
Understanding contracts is often very difficult for those who do not read such documents regularly and do not possess detailed knowledge of the relevant state and federal laws. If you need specific guidance, an experienced employment law attorney can help you review your contract and identify any potential violations by your employer. You may find that you have more grounds than you expect to fight this unfair action and stand up fair treatment for all in the workplace.
Source: FindLaw, “Was I Wrongfully Discharged From My Job?,” accessed Jan. 26, 2018