Questions:

• Does my employer have to give a good reason for firing me?
• How do I know if I have an employment contract?
• What are illegal reasons for firing me?
• What can I do to protect any legal rights I might have before leaving my job?
• Does the First Amendment protect me from being fired for what I post on my personal blog -- even if I sometimes write about my job?
• My former employer is offering severance packages only to employees who sign a release; is this legal?
• Do employers have to give notice of impending layoffs?
• What rights do I have when I'm fired?

Answer:

What rights do I have when I'm fired?

You have a number of legal rights when you are fired, including the right to all compensation you've already earned (in some states, this includes vacation time you've accrued but not yet used), the right to continue your health insurance coverage, the right to any severance to which you are entitled, and the right to collect unemployment benefits, if you qualify. For information on these rights, see Nolo's article Your Rights When You Leave a Job. For information on state laws governing when you must receive your final paycheck, see Nolo's Chart: Final Paychecks for Departing Employees.