Video Transcript: Was My Termination Legal
Illegal terminations, again, take so many different forms. There can be statutory rights that are violated, for instance there’s a protected class discrimination claim. You aren’t being given leave. There could be retaliation that you’ve suffered. There can be contract rights that have been violated. You could be defamed in the workplace. Your employment relationship could be interfered with, misrepresentations could be made to you.
So what we do in trying to fit the unfairness of the termination into one of those categories is we understand the facts from our clients. We take the time to talk to them about what has happened that led to the termination decision. A lot of employees are being told by their employers that they’re employed at will, meaning we can fire you for any reason or no reason at all. I tell those people right at the outset that I call that the Swiss Cheese of employment doctrines. There’s so many holes in that, that we can normally fit unfairness into a legal claim that is actionable. And employers [inaudible 00:01:09] employment to try to intimidate former employees to not protecting their rights.
They need to contact the counsel that have experience and that can know when unfairness in the termination decision equates to strong legal claims. When we make that determination, we’ll advocate for our clients on a contingency basis, and we’ll be in it through the long haul.
About Larry Schaefer
Lawrence P. Schaefer has earned the respect of judges and other lawyers for his thorough and aggressive client advocacy in negotiation and litigation. He focuses exclusively on representing people who have been subject to employment discrimination at work. Larry serves as the firm’s President and head of litigation. Learn more >
About Toni Halleen
Toni has practiced employment law since graduating from law school in 1988. The field appeals to her because in our society, our jobs can be core to our identity and well-being. Even in her early years in the 70s and 80s, Toni remembers being drawn to ideals of justice, fairness, and social equality in attending anti-discrimination marches, participating in school activism, and admiring the political satire of the Smothers Brothers (and others). Learn more >
