Alabama Wrongful Termination
Alabama Wrongful Termination
If you were recently fired and you don’t think you deserved to be let go, you may be wondering if you have a wrongful termination case. Although Alabama is an “at-will” employment state — meaning employers can release employees for any reason they see fit — there are some exceptions to this rule.
Keep reading to learn what constitutes wrongful termination in Alabama, and whether you should contact an attorney to explore your legal options.
FAQ
Morgan & Morgan
- Discrimination: Federal law forbids discrimination with regard to any aspect of employment, “including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits, and any other term or condition of employment.” That means if you were fired because of your age, sex, religion, country of origin, or another protected trait, it may have been wrongful termination.
- Retaliation: Retaliation occurs when an employer punishes an employee for an action, such as bringing a complaint to Human Resources, reporting unlawful conduct to a federal agency, or filing a workers’ compensation claim. If an employee is fired for one of these actions, they may have a wrongful termination case.
- Breach of Contract: If you have a written contract guaranteeing employment for a certain duration of time, and your employer violates that contract, you may have grounds for a lawsuit.
What Is Wrongful Termination in Alabama?
Because Alabama is an at-will state, the majority of layoffs (even unwarranted ones) are lawful. For a firing to constitute wrongful termination, it has to violate either federal employment laws or Alabama’s workers’ compensation statute, which says that an employee can’t be let go as retaliation for filing a workers’ compensation claim.
What Types of Layoffs Violate Federal Laws?
Many of the federal government’s employment laws are designed to protect employees on the basis of their age, sex, ethnicity, religion, parental status, and other protected characteristics. Firings that are the result of discrimination against these traits can qualify as wrongful termination, but that’s just one of a few examples:
How Do I File a Wrongful Termination Lawsuit?
The first step in filing a wrongful termination lawsuit is to contact a labor and employment lawyer at one of Morgan & Morgan’s Alabama offices. Speaking with an attorney is the quickest way to determine if you are owed compensation for lost wages, lost benefits, emotional distress, and more.
Best of all, it costs nothing upfront to hire us, and we get paid only if you win. To learn more, schedule a free case evaluation.