Oakland Wrongful Termination Attorney

Wrongful Termination Attorneys Representing Employees Who were Wrongfully Terminated in the Oakland Area

California law recognizes at-will employment relationships, which give both employees and employers the right to end the relationship for many different reasons – or even no reason at all. While employers do not have to have a good reason to terminate an employee, companies cannot fire employees for reasons that violate employment laws or public policy. If anyone believes that they were wrongfully terminated by their employer, they should speak with an Oakland wrongful termination attorney at Minnis & Smallets, LLP right away. 

What is Wrongful Termination?

Wrongful termination happens when an employer fires someone in violation of California state law, federal law, or other public policies and regulations. There are many laws that protect employees from wrongful termination based on the following, among other reasons: 

• Reasons based on unlawful discrimination, which can involve firing someone for their race, sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, national origin, and more
• Reporting unlawful discrimination or sexual harassment or gender harassment or race-based harassment or other harassment or assisting with an investigation into unlawful employment actions
• Requesting reasonable accommodation for a religious practice or belief, or for a disability
• Requesting or using qualified medical and family leave that is allowed by federal or state law
• Complaining about unpaid wages or overtime payments, or other wage and hour violations under the California Labor Code or Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Refusing to continue to work in an unsafe work environment that violates health and safety regulations
• Refusing to engage in unlawful conduct requested by an employer
• Reporting unlawful conduct, or conduct the employee reasonably believes is unlawful,  by the employer to the employer or to the authorities under the protection of federal or state whistleblower laws
• Voting, serving on a jury, or complying with a subpoena
• Discussing employment conditions or concerns with other employees, or engaging in collective or union-related conduct that is protected by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)

Despite at-will employment being the norm in California, employers still cannot violate your rights under employment laws when they terminate you. It can be difficult to know whether your termination was unlawful, so you should discuss what happened with an Oakland wrongful termination lawyer.

Your Legal Rights

Employment laws provide wrongfully terminated employees with the right to hold their employers accountable for their unlawful actions. You can seek different forms of legal relief in these cases, including;

• Lost wages
• Reinstatement to your position
• Damages for emotional distress

In order to recover damages, an employee must prove that they were wrongfully terminated, meaning that the reason for their termination was not a lawful one. Employers rarely admit to violating the law or public policy in California, so it is important for employees to have skilled employment lawyers on their side, fighting for the relief they deserve.

Consult with an Oakland Wrongful Termination Attorney Right Away

The Oakland wrongful termination lawyers at the firm of Minnis & Smallets, LLP, knows to help employees seek relief after a violation of their rights. Contact us today to learn about your options and legal rights today.