Reporting Wrongful Termination in Sacramento

Because California employers can terminate employees at any time and for no reason, making employment ‘at-will,’ you may think you have no recourse if you were fired because of your age, religious beliefs, or as retaliation. Fighting these charges takes a skilled employment lawyer who knows where to look for proof.

As an employee, you are also within your rights to quit your job for a better one with no notice, effectively firing your employer. There are often clues when termination is illegal. Your boss’s favorites may have harassed you because of your gender, you announce you are pregnant, or you refuse your boss’s advances just before you are let go. If you believe you were fired illegally, Erkel Law, P.C. can assist you with reporting wrongful termination in Sacramento.

Examples of Wrongful Termination

Wrongful termination is tricky because employers often do it under the guise of ‘at-will’ employment, so they do not have to give employees reasons, just that they are no longer needed. Some examples of illegal termination include:

• A company executive presses an hourly employee for sexual favors, and after being rebuffed, cuts the employee’s hours and then fires them
• An employee is paralyzed in an accident but can still perform their job; however, the employer does not plan to update the office for wheelchair accessibility and fires the disabled employee
• A floor manager fires an employee who asks for time off to care for a critically ill parent
• An employee is fired for reporting an employer who purposely misclassifies them as an independent contractor
• A company executive subject to an employment agreement is fired without having breached the agreement

Federal and California laws protect employees from discrimination, harassment, exploitation, and retaliation.

Examples of Illegal Treatment

Employers cannot discriminate because of an employee’s race, color, religion, age, sex—including sexual orientation, pregnancy, and sexual identity—disability, national origin, and genetic information.

Additionally, harassment can be sexual but also occurs when an employer with power over an underling belittles or berates them or allows others to do so.

Where to Report Wrongful Terminations

Federal and California agencies hear wrongful termination cases, and sometimes a civil lawsuit is instigated to reimburse the wronged employee for lost current and future wages and the emotional angst of being targeted. Erkel Law, P.C. understands the federal and state laws that govern these actions. Discrimination complaints fall under the purview of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the California Civil Rights Department, which also oversees harassment and retaliation actions. The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) also considers wrongful termination cases.

Erkel Law, P.C. can seek whistleblower protection from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for clients wrongfully terminated for reporting unsafe or illegal activities in the workplace.

Civil lawsuits can also be appropriate. Our attorney will seek damages awards for the harm an employer causes a wrongfully terminated employee in Sacramento.

Reporting Unlawful Termination in Sacramento

Your employer is not bound to tell you why you are being let go because California is an ‘at-will’ state and either of you can sever your working relationship at any time without giving a reason. But sometimes you connect the dots between discrimination or harassment and your termination—which is illegal.

Illegal termination ignites protection from federal and state laws. Erkel Law, P.C. concentrates on every aspect of employment law and can determine whether you have been legally wronged and are entitled to compensation. Reporting wrongful termination in Sacramento can be easier to handle with the help of Erkel Law, P.C. Call today for a consultation.