I’m trying to figure out if I can sue my ex-company for unlawful termination. I was let go, and it feels wrong, but I’m not sure what my options are. It doesn’t seem like I was let go for any of the protected reasons like age, race, or disability, but I still feel like it was unfair. Anyone been through this? What should I do next? Any advice on filing complaints or getting unemployment benefits?
Hey, sorry to hear that! If they didn’t fire you because of any protected class reasons, like race or age, it might just be an at-will termination, which means they can do it for almost any reason unless you had a contract. But you should definitely look into unemployment benefits if they let you go without good cause.
@Axel
Yeah, I agree with DEF. If it was for a non-discriminatory reason, it’s not really considered unlawful. But if they claim you did something wrong, you might want to appeal if they deny unemployment.
@Zhen
Thanks for that info! I didn’t think about appealing unemployment. What’s the process like?
I went through something similar a while back. The first step if you feel it was discriminatory is to file a complaint with the EEOC. They investigate and if they can’t resolve it, they’ll send you a right to sue letter.
@Zayn
Can you explain what the EEOC is? I’ve heard of them but not really sure what they do.
Teo said:
@Zayn
Can you explain what the EEOC is? I’ve heard of them but not really sure what they do.
EEOC stands for Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They handle discrimination cases. If your firing was based on something like your race or gender, they’ll investigate it and give you a letter to let you sue if they can’t fix it. It’s the first step before any lawsuit.
Also, if you feel it was discrimination, you might want to consult with an attorney, especially for unemployment benefits. They only take a small percentage of what they win for you, but it can really help your case.
@Blake
I hadn’t thought about getting a lawyer for unemployment, but that sounds like a smart move. Thanks!
Just to clarify, you don’t need a lawyer to file an EEOC complaint, right? I thought it was something you can do on your own.
Sydney said:
Just to clarify, you don’t need a lawyer to file an EEOC complaint, right? I thought it was something you can do on your own.
You don’t need a lawyer for the EEOC complaint itself, but it can help to have one if the case moves forward or if they don’t find enough evidence and you decide to sue.
I had to appeal unemployment benefits once. It was a hassle, but I won. Definitely worth appealing if they try to deny you. Just make sure you gather all your evidence!
Kei said:
I had to appeal unemployment benefits once. It was a hassle, but I won. Definitely worth appealing if they try to deny you. Just make sure you gather all your evidence!
Got it! I’ll make sure to have everything ready in case they try to deny me. Appreciate the advice!