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Unless you have an employment contract with your employer, your employment is probably "at will," which means that your employer can fire you for any reason that isn't illegal. (Illegal reasons include discrimination based on race, sex, or another protected characteristic; retaliation for asserting your workplace rights; or punishing you for whistleblowing.)
This means that your employer's reason for firing you can be related to your job (for example, poor performance, excessive absences, or violating a company rule) or totally unrelated (for example, violating a law outside of work, speaking too loudly or abrasively, annoying your coworkers, or any other reason that is not illegal).
If you have an employment contract, however, the terms of your contract will determine the reasons for which you can be fired. Some contracts give a list of things for which the employee can be fired; others leave the issue open. In such a situation, the law usually says that you can only be fired for "good cause" -- meaning a legitimate, business-related reason. If your contract says specifically that your employment is at will, however, you are stuck in the same boat as those without a contract, and your employer has a great deal of leeway when deciding whether to fire you.
When most people think about a contract, they think of a formal written document. And many contracts do look that way. There are other kinds of contracts, however. You and your employer can come to an oral agreement that is never put in writing, and it may still be a valid, enforceable contract. And, if your employer has ever promised you something, that may have created a contract as well.
If you fit into the following situations and are fired for questionable reasons, then you might consider talking to an attorney:
Employers do not have the right to discriminate against you in violation of state or federal fair employment laws. Such laws protect against discrimination based on race, national origin, sex, religion, disability, and age. In addition, some states also protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity, whether a person receives public funds, and/or other characteristics. Such state and federal laws also protect you from being fired in retaliation for making a complaint of discrimination or assisting in someone else's complaint of discrimination on any of these bases. For more information, see Your Rights Against Discrimination and Harassment.
Other state and federal laws also protect workers from being fired for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, the following:
If you believe you may have been fired for an illegal reason, contact your state department of labor and/or fair employment agency for more information.
Even if you decide not to challenge the legality of your firing, you will be in a much better position to enforce all your workplace rights if you carefully document what happened when you were fired. For example, if you apply for unemployment insurance benefits and your former employer challenges your unemployment application, you will typically need to prove that you were dismissed for reasons that were not related to your own misconduct. (For more information, see When You Are Entitled to Unemployment Compensation.)
First, ask to see your personnel file. In many states, employers are required to make it available to you. Make a copy of all reports and reviews in it. Again, some states require the employer to allow you to make copies. Make a list of every single document the file contains. That way, if your employer adds anything later, you will have proof that it was created after the events in question.
There are a number of ways to document events that happened. The easiest is to keep a journal in which you record and date significant work-related events such as performance reviews, commendations or reprimands, salary increases or decreases, and even informal comments your supervisor makes to you about your work. Note the date, time, and location for each event; which members of management were involved; and any witnesses who were present. Keep your notes at home or in a secure place.
Whenever possible, back up the notes in your journal with materials issued by your employer -- such as copies of the employee handbook; memos; brochures; employee orientation videos; and any written evaluations, commendations, or criticisms of your work. However, don't take or copy any documents that your employer considers confidential -- this will come back to haunt you if you decide to file a lawsuit. For more information, see Your Rights in the Workplace, by Barbara Kate Repa (Nolo).
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