4 Potential Examples of Wrongful Termination in Los Angeles

Many people around the world are victims of wrongful termination without even knowing.

Hundreds of thousands of employees are victims of wrongful termination each year. 

Wrongful termination occurs when an employee is fired for an unlawful reason. There are multiple signs that may indicate wrongful termination.

You were terminated after reporting your employer’s wrongdoing

Think of a situation where Javier learns his supervisor has been pocketing money from the cash register every night after close. Javier notifies HR about what happened.

A week or so later, Javier is fired. Chances are he was a victim of retaliation by his supervisor.

Retaliation occurs when an employee is punished for performing a legally protected act. This is ground for a wrongful termination claim.

You were fired for discriminatory reasons

Maha is performing exceedingly well at her new job. However, she’s told by a supervisor that her prayer breaks have been disruptive to other employees, and she must stop or be terminated.

Maha’s right to prayer breaks and denial of performing them is an example of religious discrimination. Her dismissal sets the stage for a wrongful termination case. 

You were let go of while out on FMLA

Carissa is taking medical leave to help care for her ill father. As she prepares to return to work, she is told her position has been terminated due to the extended period of missed time. 

The Family and Medical Leave Act protects employees who need to take time off for medical reasons. FMLA allows workers to take 12 weeks of unpaid time off with job protection. 

Carissa’s termination may have been wrongfully done.

You were fired after sexual harassment

Laurie recently started working at a new tech startup. The CEO of the company starts sending her lewd text messages and emails, including pornographic images.

He begins touching Laurie’s shoulder inappropriately before eventually asking her out for drinks. When Laurie turns down his offer, she learns the next day she is no longer needed at the company. 

From 2018 to 2021, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received nearly 30,000 sexual harassment claims. Laurie’s dismissal after her bosses behavior is a basis for wrongful termination following sexual harassment.

It’s important to remember that just because you lost your job does not mean you were wrongfully terminated. California is an at-will employment state, meaning an employee can be terminated at any time for any legal reason.

The aforementioned situations are examples of illegal practices by employers to terminate employees for unethical or illegitimate reasons. 

While there are many federal laws designed to protect employees from wrongful termination, there are many laws at the state level as well, including:

• California Labor Code 
• California Fair Employment and Housing Act
• California Family Rights Act 

Just because there are laws doesn’t mean employers won’t break them. Having evidence can be a crucial factor to support your employer’s wrongdoings.

Examples of evidence may include:

• Legally binding contracts or other documents regarding your employment
• E-mails, text messages, etc. of any harassment
• Photos or videos of harassment or other illegal activities before your termination
• A witness to any of the harassment, discrimination, etc.

 If you believe you were wrongfully terminated, it might be time to consult with an attorney.

The Los Angeles employment attorneys at C&B Law Group want to help the victims of wrongful termination. 

Our team won’t back down from big corporations bullying their employees. We will fight within our legal power to ensure you receive the justice you deserve.

Not only is wrongful termination hard because of job loss, but situations like the ones previously mentioned can be embarrassing, belittling, and emotionally scarring. Victims of these incidents may find themselves:

• Isolated from others
• Depressed
• Anxious
• Angry
• Suffering from PTSD

You shouldn’t have to suffer. Let our LA employment attorneys assist you with finding justice. 

Your initial consultation is free. Contact our Southern California and Los Angeles employment lawyers today to learn more.