You probably know that your employer can fire you for being late or missing work. But did you know that your employer can essentially let you go “at will” without giving you a reason? That’s because Texas is known as an “at-will” employment state.
There are some instances where it is illegal for your employer to fire you. If your employer has retaliated against you for an unlawful reason, you may be able to file a wrongful discharge lawsuit.
The attorneys of Barry & Loewy LLP have helped plaintiffs in a wide variety of employment disputes, including claims of wrongful discharge. We will use our resources and legal skills to make sure you are compensated if you’ve been wrongfully discharged.
Under Texas and federal law, if you belong to certain classes of employees, these rules apply:
- Your employee cannot fire you for “blowing the whistle” on an illegal workplace activity.
- Nor can you be discharged for refusing to commit an illegal act.
- Your boss cannot fire you for a discriminatory reason – for instance, because of your age, your gender or a physical disability.
- An employer cannot fire, demote, harass or retaliate against you for filing an employment discrimination claim or taking part in a discrimination proceeding.
Retaliation can take many forms besides firing. Your employer may deny you a well-deserved promotion or hand out unfairly negative evaluations – or even increase surveillance of you at your job.
Keep in mind that the majority of firings or demotions do not give rise to a wrongful discharge claim, and not all employees are covered by state or federal wrongful discharge laws. Deciding whether the law applies to your facts takes legal training. Texas wrongful discharge cases can be complex and involve hearings before state and federal agencies. You may also be entitled to a trial in state or federal court.
The attorneys of Barry & Loewy LLP are familiar with the wrongful discharge laws and can give you an honest assessment of your claim. If you think you have been the victim of a wrongful discharge from your job, please contact Barry & Loewy LLP today.
