South Pasadena Wrongful Termination Lawyer

Forms of Wrongful Termination that Might Warrant a Claim

Unfortunately, employers are not required to provide an employee with an explanation of why the employee is being terminated.  Even if an employer gives a reason for terminating an employee, it can be difficult to know if the reason provided by the employer is the real motivation behind an employee’s termination.

There are many reasons for termination that are perfectly legal, such as poor performance, excessive unexcused absences, a personality conflict between two employees, or the company simply deciding they want to go in a different direction with the position.

However, to the extent an employer offers a reason for termination, the key question is whether there is an alternative illegal reason for why an employee is fired that the employer is trying to hide by using a seemingly legitimate reason.

You should reach out to a wrongful termination lawyer from South Pasadena if you believe your firing involved any of the following:

Retaliation

Retaliation occurs when an employer takes an adverse action against you, like terminating your employment, because you engaged in a certain protected behavior. You might have grounds for a claim if you were fired for:

• Taking a protected leave of absence, such as pregnancy, medical, or family leave
• Filing a workers’ compensation claim
• Requesting reasonable accommodations for a disability
• Refusing to do something for your employer that is against the law
• Complaining to your employer that you believe something they are doing is against the law. 
• Participating in an outside investigation that involved your company or employer
• Reporting sexual harassment or another form of workplace harassment to your employer or a government agency
• Reporting discrimination to your employer or a government agency

Discrimination

California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibits your employer from firing you on the basis of a protected class. According to the law, the following categories are considered protected classes:

• Gender
• Race
• Skin color
• National origin
• Sex
• Sexual orientation or gender identity
• Pregnancy status
• Marital status
• Age, if over 40
• Religion
• Disability or genetic information

Breach of Employment Contract

Having a “good cause” employment contract is uncommon in California, but if you do, it means your employer must have good cause to fire you. If you’ve failed to perform the duties of your job, your employer likely has good cause to fire you.

On the other hand, if you believe you were fired for a reason that doesn’t qualify as “good cause,” a wrongful termination attorney from South Pasadena may be able to assist you in filing a claim against your employer.

An Attorney Can Help You Prove that You Were Wrongfully Terminated

To hold your employer accountable for wrongfully terminating you, you’ll need to prove that they fired you for an unlawful reason. This step in the legal process can be difficult, as evidence must be collected showing that your firing was retaliatory, discriminatory, or otherwise against the law. 

Fortunately, our wrongful termination lawyers from South Pasadena can help you gather and analyze the evidence you need to take action against your employer. They may use the following records and documents to build a strong case against your employer on your behalf:

• Relevant paperwork and emails
• Other documents that suggest your discharge was unlawful
• Testimony, statements, or declarations from your co-workers, supervisor, manager, etc. 

If you are aware of any physical or digital evidence that could be used to bolster your case, you’ll want to hand it over to our wrongful termination lawyers. They’ll be able to use it to strengthen your case and, ideally, recover the remedies you deserve.