can one be fired & stopped from future employment due to a family member?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
can one be fired & stopped from future employment due to a family member?
i was fired back in Feb, told was a liability.unable to find a job due to what past employer has been telling prospective employers. & telling them “do not hire”, but has been saying i was a great employee. can i be held liable & stopped by future employment because of a family members’ legal issues?
Asked on June 30, 2009 under Employment Labor Law, Alabama
Answers:
J.V., Member, New Jersey Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 15 years ago | Contributor
Employment without a valid contract stating otherwise is "at will" meaning the employer can terminate as can the employee for whatever reason they see fit as long as not deemed illegal. This does not sound as if your being terminated falls into a category that would raise any legal issues.
With regard to the negative references an employer is normally allowed to tell future employers who contact them whatever they feel is necessary to provide an overall idea of the past employees work history and any extenuating circumstances. It sounds as if the employer says good things about you buy warns due to your family member.
Although in general I would say there is not a legal issue here without specifics as to what the family member is said to have done or be doing and how in fact it is being used in reference to you and your situation I do not want to generalize. I would suggest calling a local employment lawyer, explain the specifics and ask if they can suggest a possible remedy. I cannot be sure if there will be anything but its worth a shot. Good luck
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.