4 Illegal Reasons To Be Fired

If you have recently been fired from your job, you might currently be wondering about the reason and whether or not it was legal. While there are many reasons an employer can legally let their employees go, there are also some that are against the law. If you find that you were fired unlawfully, you can bring up a lawsuit against them. Here are some of the illegal reasons to be fired from your job.

You Were Discriminated Against

This is a common reason to be fired, and also a very illegal one. Discrimination against employees is illegal in the United States. If your employer fired you because of your gender, health condition, age, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, it is against the law and you can file a lawsuit against them. Keep in mind that you have to actually prove that you were fired due to discrimination, and not another reason. If you recently told your supervisor you are pregnant and there have never been complaints about your work performance, it is likely that you can prove your discrimination case.

Retaliation for a Discrimination Complaint

This also has to do with discrimination, but goes one step further. If you feel you were discriminated in the workplace, and you complained about it, then were fired, you might have a retaliation case. For example, if you and another employee were up for a promotion, but you think you were denied because of your sexual orientation, you can go to your human resources department and let them know you think it was discrimination. If your supervisor finds this out, gets upset, and fires you, that is discrimination retaliation and is illegal.

Violations of Public Policy

Any time an employer violates public policy and it results in you getting fired, you have a lawsuit against them. There are many different situations where this is relevant. For example, if your employee tried to convince you to do something morally or ethically wrong in the workplace, and you refused, firing you for that refusal is illegal. It is also illegal to fire you because you have complained about your unsafe work environment, or for taking family leave even though it is your legal right.

Refusing to Take a Lie Detector Test

There are state laws that prohibit forcing an employee to take a lie detector test. If you were asked to take one after an issue in the workplace and you refused to take one, that is your right. However, if you refused to take the test, and believe you were fired for it, you probably have a lawsuit against your previous employer. Talk to an expert like Timothy P O'Brien for more information.