What Is Wrongful Termination?

The law provides that employees may not be fired for an unlawful reason. Firing an employee for an unlawful reason is what is known as “wrongful termination.” In California, employees are considered to be “at-will employees” which means that you can be fired at any time for any reason. However, workers are entitled to certain legal protections against wrongful discharge, and cannot be fired for employer actions that violate either the law or public policy. This includes discrimination on the basis of race, disability, national origin, age, religion, complaining of unsafe working conditions or illegal activity. Violating the law or a contract of employment entails liability upon employers; meaning that if you have been fired for an unlawful reason, you may be entitled to recover damages.