Delaware County Wrongful Termination Lawyers

Advocating for Employee Rights in the Delaware Valley

Sadly, many employees across our region are wrongfully terminated from their jobs, with retaliation and discrimination being the most common causes. While an employer has certain rights over an at-will employee, there are still certain federal and state laws to which they must adhere. In keeping with this, any terminations an employer made that were discriminatory or retaliatory are illegal.

If you suspect that an employer has wrongfully terminated you for any reason, know that you have rights. Delaware County wrongful termination lawyers at The Gold Law Firm P.C. have successfully fought for countless employees in wrongful termination claims.

Severance Agreements and Wrongful Terminations

Employees who have signed severance agreements believe that they have given their employers full control of when to terminate them, as long as they provide severance pay. This is not necessarily true. If retaliation was the true reason behind the layoff, or even discrimination, then the employer may be held accountable for a wrongful termination.

Additionally, an employer may use a reduction in force (RIF) to mask retaliation or discriminatory practices. While it may be hard to prove, we can investigate a claim and see if discrimination or retaliation was the true cause of a layoff.

Not All Wrongful Terminations Are Discrimination-Based

If an employee has either expressly or impliedly signed an employment contract, and the employer has breached it by terminating the employee prior to an agreed-upon date, then the employee has been wrongfully terminated. Not all wrongful terminations are inherently discriminatory or retaliatory; indeed, many wrongfully terminated employees are just victims of cost-cutting practices.

If an employee is terminated for time off that is guaranteed under law, such as protected medical leave taken under the FMLA. then the employer can be held liable. Under state and federal laws, employees are protected when they take time off for:

Jury duty
Military leave
Pregnancy leave
Qualifying medical conditions under FMLA leave
Voting

Employers Must Adhere to Their Own Standards

Employers are subject to the guidelines and policies they enact for employees. Employers who have not acted in accordance with an employee handbook or contract can also be held liable for a wrongful termination. For example, if it is stated in an employee handbook that it takes two disciplinary actions to warrant a termination, and the employer did not take this measure, then they may be held accountable for their actions.

How to Proceed if You Have Been Wrongfully Terminated

Employees who suspect that their employer has wrongfully terminated them must act within a certain timeframe. First, file a claim with the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) and then seek the counsel of our Delaware County wrongful termination lawyers. Deadlines many vary depending on whether you are a public or private employee, but you should act immediately regardless.

Employees who have been wrongfully terminated may be entitled to the following damages:

Attorney’s fees
Back pay
Compensatory damages
Front pay
Injunctive relief
Promotion
Punitive damages
Reinstatement
Required reasonable accommodations