Jobs come and jobs go. Sometimes an employee decides to leave a job, and sometimes the employer gives an employee the boot. In an at-will employment state like California, both the employer and the employee can terminate the employment at any time. The at-will designation may make it seem like there can be no case for wrongful termination, since an employer can let a person go at any time. However, there are some protected statuses, and it is true that an employer cannot end the employment for just any reason.
Certain federal laws protect employees. There is Title VII or the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and a state law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Together, these laws protect an employee from being fired due to race, sex, national origin, disability, pregnancy, age, gender, sexual orientation and religion. If an employee was let go from his or her job for any of the above reasons, that employee may have a case for wrongful termination.
There are other guidelines for employers that prevent them from firing an employee. An employee cannot be fired due to participating in an employment discrimination investigation. An employee also has the right to refuse to commit an illegal act on the behalf of the boss and cannot be fired for it. If an employer was also made aware of a hostile work environment but has taken not steps to correct it, a worker cannot be forced to leave because of the bad circumstances.
Even in the at-will state of California, a person may have a case for wrongful termination. If a worker is facing the loss of a job for a possible discrimination infraction, he or she has the right to legal recourse. Also, an ex-worker can consult with an attorney for help in pursuing relief due to employment discrimination.
Source: calaborlawnews.com, “Do You Have a Wrongful Termination Case in California?“, Gordon Gibb, Aug. 21, 2017