Do I have a case for wrongful termination if I was discharged but was given no specific reason?
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Do I have a case for wrongful termination if I was discharged but was given no specific reason?
The very vague reason I was given was “poor job performance” but they said they could not disclose any other information even though I was very persistent. I was never written up or warned about my performance and feel that I was fired out of nowhere. I filed for unemployment and my previous employer is fighting it and is now claiming 3 specific dates in which he spoke to me about my job performance. I was not aware of these dates and they were not mentioned in my termination. I am wondering if I have a legal case against my previous employer?
Asked on August 10, 2011 Alabama
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
First, if you did not have an employment contract (or were subject to a union or collective bargaining agreement), you were an "employee at will" and could be fired at any time, for any reason whatsoever, without warning. The only exception would be if you feel you were fired due to your membership in a protected category--e.g. you were fired because of your race, sex, religion, age over 40, disability--or for making a protected claim--e.g. were fired because you used FMLA leave or made a claim for overtime. Other than that, though, they can probably fire you at will, and employees at will rarely succeed on wrongful termination claims. (If you do have an employment contract, its terms regarding termination and discipline will apply.)
If you disagree with their stated reason for your termination and the denial of your unemployment benefits, you can certainly appeal and try to prove that their story was not the case. To maximize your chance of success, you should retain an attorney to help you (preferably one who specializes in claims like this, or else in employment law more generally), and you can ask the lawyer about any other causes of action you may have, taking into account all the specifics of your case.
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