Irvine Wrongful Termination Lawyer
California is an “at-will” employment state, which means both employers and employees have the right to terminate a work relationship at any time they want for almost any reason. However, there are certain scenarios where termination is a violation of that worker’s rights.
If you believe you have been wrongfully dismissed and want to take legal action against your former employer because of it, you will want to contact our Irvine wrongful termination lawyer for assistance as soon as possible. Employment law can be complex under the best of circumstances and can change dramatically from year to year and even from city to city, so having help from an experienced employment attorney can be vital to achieving success with this type of legal action.
What Qualifies as Wrongful Termination Under State Law?
Broadly speaking, an employer in California can wrongfully terminate an employee in three ways: as a breach of contract, as discrimination based on membership in a protected class, or as retaliation for a lawful action taken by the employee. Breach of contract wrongful terminations typically only happen with workers who have signed employment contracts establishing that they can only be fired under specific circumstances, making any termination on any other grounds a breach of the contract’s terms.
Wrongful termination as retaliation can stem from an employee acting as a whistleblower to report violations of state or federal law committed by their employer, an employee reporting sexual harassment in the workplace, or an employee taking family or medical leave as they are allowed to by law. Finally, under state law, it is illegal to fire a worker because of their membership in a protected class and, more specifically, because of any of the following:
- Their race, ethnicity, skin color, ancestry, or national origin
- Their sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity
- Their religious beliefs or practices
- Their medical status, including any physical disability, pregnancy, genetic information, or AIDS/HIV diagnosis
- Their marital status
- Their political beliefs or military service history
- Their citizenship status
- Their age, if they are older than 40
- Their status as a victim of domestic violence or stalking
Our Irvine wrongful termination attorney can discuss in detail whether a particular scenario might justify a lawsuit.
Deadlines for Wrongful Termination Claims
Just like other forms of civil litigation, wrongful termination lawsuits and employment lawsuits are subject to filing deadlines set by state law. With very few exceptions, the statute of limitations for wrongful termination claims allows prospective plaintiffs just two years to file suit after the date of their wrongful termination.
As many people learn, this can be a deceptively small window of time to gather comprehensive evidence of illegal behavior and of the specific financial and personal losses that behavior will cause them. This is why working closely with our skilled lawyers can be key to getting a favorable outcome from a wrongful termination lawsuit in Irvine.
Our Irvine Wrongful Termination Attorney Could Help
Being fired for any reason can be upsetting, but knowing that it only happened because your employer broke the law can be uniquely infuriating. You have important rights under circumstances like this, and proactively enforcing those rights with help from capable legal counsel could get you reimbursement for all of the harm your employer’s misconduct has caused you.
Our Irvine wrongful termination lawyer’s assistance could make a world of difference in your chances of getting the favorable case result you want. Call today to learn more about your legal options.
