{"id":1786,"date":"2018-05-08T16:30:58","date_gmt":"2018-05-08T16:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/az-labor-employment-law\/?page_id=1786"},"modified":"2023-11-14T23:13:55","modified_gmt":"2023-11-14T23:13:55","slug":"wrongful-termination-examples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/az-labor-employment-law\/blog\/wrongful-termination-examples\/","title":{"rendered":"Wrongful Termination Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"
In the state of Arizona, most private-sector employees are considered “at-will” employees. Under ARS 23-1501<\/a>, an at-will employment relationship that isn’t subject to a written contract or collective bargaining agreement may be voluntarily severed by the employer or the employee at any time, for any reason. While this leaves the door open for employers to fire or lay off employees for just about any reason (including having no reason at all), there are a number of federal, state, and local employment laws that protect against wrongful termination. Generally speaking, most wrongful termination cases fall into one of the following categories:<\/p>\n Federal laws such as Title VII<\/a> of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act<\/a>, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act<\/a> prohibit employers from terminating employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, pregnancy, disability, and age (over 40). Many states and local governments have adopted additional anti-discrimination laws that provide additional protection for protected characteristics such as an employee’s marital status, immigration status, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Employers who wrongfully terminate employees in violation of these anti-discrimination laws may be subject to investigation, fines, restitution, and civil action.<\/p>\n Following are some examples of wrongful termination based on discrimination:<\/p>\n If you have been terminated based on discrimination against a protected characteristic, you can file a complaint with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission<\/a> or the Civil Rights Division<\/a> of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office (ACRD). You also have the right to file a civil lawsuit against the employer to recover damages.<\/p>\n Employers are prohibited from taking any negative actions against an employee in retaliation for his or her participation in protected activities. Retaliation cases are often referred to as “whistleblower” cases, but not all retaliation cases involve employees who “blow the whistle” by filing a complaint or participating in an investigation. Following are some common examples of wrongful termination cases that involve employer retaliation:<\/p>\n If you have been terminated in retaliation for your participation in a protected activity, you’ll need to file a complaint with the appropriate regulatory agency:<\/p>\n After you have filed a complaint with the appropriate agency, you may file a civil lawsuit against your employer. The damages awarded in a successful wrongful termination case often include back pay, front pay, and liquidated damages.<\/p>\n Wrongful termination cases that involve a breach of contract are perhaps the easiest to prove and win. Where charges of discrimination and retaliation often rely on circumstantial evidence, cases where an employer clearly violates a written agreement are fairly straightforward. Following are some common examples of wrongful termination cases that involve a breach of contract:<\/p>\n The state of Arizona is a great place to live and work, but knowing the employment laws will help you a lot. Whether you are a newcomer to the state or a lifelong resident, understanding your workplace protections is good for your career, and the more you know, the better.<\/p>\n Employment law issues can cause extreme distress and can affect productivity on the job. If you are being harassed at work, or dealing with any other employment issue, consider talking to our AZ employment law<\/a> team to help you settle your case.<\/p>\n\n
Discrimination<\/h2>\n
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Retaliation<\/h2>\n
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Violation of a written agreement<\/h2>\n
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Need Help With An Employment Law Issue?<\/h2>\n