Can I be fired simply for gossiping about my boss’s wife?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can I be fired simply for gossiping about my boss’s wife?
My sister and I got fired because someone told my boss that we were gossiping about his wife. Is that a reason to get fired?
Asked on July 10, 2011 under Employment Labor Law, California
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
I'm afraid that you have no grounds here for a wrongful termination claim. The reason is that most employment relationships are "at will". This means that basically you can choose to work for an employer or not, and an employer can hire or fire you for any reason or no reason, with or without notice. While seemingly unfair it's the law. There are exceptions however. If this action was not allowed by virtue of an employment contract, union agreement, or official company policy statement. Also, discrimination must not have played a role in your termination. Unless any of these exceptions apply your firing was legal.
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.