Losing a job can cause psychological distress, financial insecurity, and emotional pain. If you suffered wrongful termination, then you may need to speak to a Forest Acres personal injury lawyer. You may be entitled to financial compensation for lost wages and other losses you suffered due to being wrongfully terminated.
Employees often do not know how to interact with their employers if they believe their rights have been violated. A Forest Acres wrongful termination lawyer can scrutinize your employer’s actions to determine how best to assert your legal claims. You do not have to be afraid of your employer as you seek legal representation.
Defining Wrongful Termination
Wrongful termination is another way to state that an employee was laid off or fired from their job for illegal reasons. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 contains many provisions defining discrimination and harassment. State and local laws are also applicable to wrongful termination cases.
Typically, these issues must be litigated, and the employer will not admit that they violated an employee’s constitutional rights. Employees seek out a wrongful termination lawyer in Forest Acres when they want to know how to seek financial compensation for their losses. Learning more about your legal rights and what constitutes wrongful termination will help you have a better understanding of your case.
Important Factors Relevant to Wrongful Termination Cases
Several important factors are often relevant to a single wrongful termination case. You should provide a Forest Acres wrongful termination attorney with detailed information regarding your employer and the nature of your employment. For example, you need to determine whether you are classified as an employee or as an independent contractor, and you should disclose if you are represented by a South Carolina workers’ compensation lawyer.
Your employer may have a history of discriminating against employees. Also, you need to assess any employment contract that governs the relationship between yourself and your employer. Gathering evidence that you can use to substantiate your legal claims will make it more likely that you will have a positive outcome in your wrongful termination case.
The notice your employer had about any accommodations you may have requested is also relevant to your case. If you suffered from a disability, then your employer had a legal duty to provide you with reasonable accommodations. If you were terminated because of your disability status, then you need to bring this to the attention of your employment lawyer.
The Most Common Examples of Wrongful Termination Cases
Employees assert wrongful termination claims when they believe they have lost their jobs due to retaliation, harassment, or discrimination. Typically, identifying characteristics form the foundation of wrongful termination cases. The following are some of the most common characteristics associated with wrongful termination cases:
- Sexual orientation
- National origin
- Sex
- Religion
- Race
- Pregnancy
- Genetic information
- Gender
- Ethnicity
- Disability
- Age
Most employee-employer relationships are “at-will,” and this means the employer or the employee may end the employment relationship at any time. However, this does not mean that the employer has the right to behave in an illegal manner with regard to employees. Seeking out the expertise of a wrongful termination attorney in Forest Acres is the best thing you can do if you believe you were wrongfully terminated.
The Benefits of Having an Employment Law Attorney on Your Side
When you are represented by counsel, you will be able to understand the different phases of litigation and how they relate to your rights. Your attorney will also be able to provide you with guidance regarding settlement negotiations, mediation, and arbitration. These three forms of alternative dispute resolution may be important to your wrongful termination case.
It can be difficult to handle every part of a civil lawsuit on your own. If you are represented by counsel, then you will be able to strategize and plan how you are going to present your evidence. Gathering documentary evidence and organizing expert witnesses may take months.
Holding Your Former Employer Accountable for Their Actions
Many clients who bring wrongful termination claims have ambivalent emotions about suing their former employer. It is important to understand that enforcing your legal rights is about making sure that your former employer does not continue to harm other employees. As you seek monetary compensation for your injuries, the legal system works to reduce the likelihood that other innocent employees will face harassment, retaliation, and discrimination.
The Steps to Take After Being Wrongfully Terminated
You need to make sure that you speak to an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission counselor to seek advice about your wrongful termination. Also, speak to a knowledgeable wrongful termination lawyer to determine which deadlines may be applicable to your legal claims. Also, document every communication and action that relates to the harassment or discrimination you faced at the workplace.
Do not use social media applications while you are preparing to file a wrongful termination lawsuit. You do not want to give opposing counsel any evidence they can use against you to attack your credibility. Do not submit any posts about the discrimination you faced or that you were fired.
Lastly, you should seek out a Forest Acres wrongful termination attorney. Many wrongful termination cases feature complex fact patterns, multiple eyewitnesses, and powerful defendants. These cases can be unpredictable if they are not litigated in an efficient manner.
The Attorneys at The Shelly Leeke Law Firm Are Here for You
You do not have to face employment discrimination on your own. If you want to learn more about how you can enforce your legal rights, then contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Our attorneys can answer your questions and provide you with all the information you need to determine if you want to pursue a wrongful termination case against your former employer.
Retaining a wrongful termination lawyer will enable you to take advantage of attorney-client privilege and attorney-client confidentiality. These tools will enable you to protect information that you share with your lawyer. You do not have to be afraid of your former employer or the attorneys representing your former employer.
