Learn more about wrongful termination in Sacramento by reading our blog on news and updates.
Employees may not be terminated because they exercised a right granted to them by a state or federal statute or certain administrative regulations. Many activities are protected, employees must not be terminated for participating in such activities, including but not limited to: jury duty, political activity, refusal to authorize disclosure of medical information, voluntary participation in alcohol or drug rehabilitation programs, having wages garnished, refusing to patronize employer and time off for domestic violence.
Union Employees
If you are covered by a union contract, in most cases you will have some protection from being terminated without good cause. If you are terminated, and you believe there is not sufficient cause for your discharge, you can request your union to file a “grievance” on your behalf against the employer. In deciding whether to file your grievance or to take your case to arbitration, your union is obligated to represent you fairly. However, as long as your union takes reasonable steps to investigate your case, it may legally decide not to file your grievance or go to arbitration if it believes that your case does not have enough merit. If you are covered by a union contract, you cannot take your case to court if it requires only an interpretation of your contract. Wrongful termination cases that can be taken directly to court because they do not involve your contract include most violations of public policy or law, such as discrimination on the basis of race, sex or disability.
Wrongful Termination in California
There is no individual law in California covering wrongful termination. Instead there are a variety of state and federal statutes, as well as state and federal court decisions, that provide some protections (sometimes very limited) to at-will employees, and allow them to pursue “wrongful termination” cases under certain circumstances. Wrongful termination generally means an unfair employment discharge. However, not every unfair employment discharge constitutes wrongful termination.
Examples of wrongful termination that violate state or federal law include the following:
- Dismissal on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or even mistaken perceptions of any of these
- Retaliation for asserting a protected right, such as filing a sexual harassment complaint, taking family or medical leave, or applying for workers’ compensation benefits
- You don’t have a written employment contract, but you are a long-term employee with an implied employment contract. For example, your employer may have told you as long as you do well, you have a future with the company.
- Getting fired for reporting illegal or unethical conduct on the part of a manager or supervisor in private or public employment
In California and other states, employers can hire and fire at will. But they cannot fire people because they stood up for their rights if they were being mistreated because of discrimination or harassment in the workplace. Further, they cannot fire an employee whistleblower who reports fraud, illegal activities or safety violations to the government.
Sacramento Wrongful Termination Lawyers
Our skilled employment law attorneys present many facts, which may be indirect or circumstantial, but when added together, point to something illegal. The wrongfully fired lawyers of Bowman & Associates in Sacramento are highly skilled at analyzing these facts and deciphering what they suggest about your employer’s reason for your termination.
Our wrongful termination lawyers in Sacramento and Folsom understand the complexities of California wrongful termination laws and will explain to you how these laws apply to your specific case. No legal mumbo-jumbo, just plain English. And just good, sound legal advice as to whether you have a strong wrongful termination case or not, and whether you should file a wrongful termination lawsuit or not.
If you think you have been wrongfully terminated from a job in Sacramento or another area of Northern California, contact an experienced wrongful termination attorney in Sacramento at the Law Office of Bowman and Associates, APC to schedule your free case evaluation today.
