People are fired from their jobs all of the time in Massachusetts. If they consult Wrongful Termination Attorneys Springfield MA, will they find that they meet the criteria needed to file a wrongful termination lawsuit? Perhaps. There’s a lot of confusion about what is, and is not, a wrongful termination.
Massachusetts is an At-Will Employment State
All Massachusetts workers are considered to work at-will unless the worker’s at-will status was changed with a legal employment contract between the worker and the employer. This means that the worker can quit at any time and the employer can terminate the worker under most circumstances. It can be more difficult to prove wrongful termination in at-will states.
What are the Grounds for Wrongful Termination?
Massachusetts employers have considerable latitude when terminating employees. However, there are exceptions to an employer’s right to terminate workers whenever they please, including:
- Terminations that result from harassment, discrimination or other violations of state or federal statutes;
- Terminations that only happen in order to prevent the employee from receiving commissions, bonuses, disability payments or benefits;
- Terminations that are prohibited under the terms of an employment contract, either written or implied;
- Terminations that go against public policy, such as reporting the company’s illegal conduct;
- Terminations of workers who join a labor union or otherwise protest for improved working conditions or higher wages.
Very small companies are exempt from some employment laws.
Overlapping Employment Cases
When an employee is suing for wrongful termination, there may be other legal claims. Some of the issues that could become part of a wrongful termination lawsuit include:
- The intentional infliction of emotional distress (often seen in harassment lawsuits);
- Breach of an employment contract;
- Invasion of privacy, which could be charged if the employer communicated private information to others;
- Damage to business reputation.
If you believe that your termination was not lawful, you should talk to experienced Wrongful Termination Attorneys Springfield MA. Connor, Morneau & Olin LLP, Attorneys At Law, focus on assisting employees to protect their legal rights.
They firm has handled many wrongful termination cases; in one case, the attorney successfully negotiated a monetary settlement for a retail clerk who was terminated after being inured in an auto accident. The company had refused to grant a lawful leave of absence. To contact the firm, visit visit us website.
