If my employer violated the terms in the employee handbook by firing me, can I hold him responsible?
Most companies are “at-will” employers, meaning they can fire employees at any time for any legal reason. (Employees can also quit at any time with or without cause). However, employee handbooks may include language surrounding its firing practices, such as progressive discipline policies that assure employees will be terminated only for certain offenses and only after receiving certain warnings.
In the past, some courts have ruled an employee handbook is an implied contract, and therefore, an employer must follow the policies printed in the handbook. Now, many handbooks include a disclaimer that states they are not a contract.
If your employer violated the terms in your employee handbook by firing you and there is no provision stating the handbook is not an implied contract, you may be able to hold your employer liable.
Other Employment Law FAQs:
- Can I Be Laid Off While Pregnant?
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- Can my employer ask about my age?
- Can my employer legitimately deduct anything from my paycheck?
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- How and when do you file an unlawful retaliation lawsuit?
- How can I prove age discrimination in my workplace?
- How do I recognize on-the-job discrimination?
- How is illegal retaliation defined?
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- How to Report Sexual Harassment at Work?
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- Is my employer responsible if I am sexually harassed at a company-sponsored event outside of working hours?
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- My employer does not pay overtime pay. What is the California law on overtime pay? Am I supposed to receive overtime on my commission also?
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- What are the federal and state laws and regulations which provide legal protections for employees?
- What are the signs of age discrimination in the workplace?
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- What can I do if I was wrongfully terminated?
- What evidence is necessary in order to help prove national origin discrimination under Title VII?
- What if I work in a small business and the person harassing me is the owner or supervisor?
- What is age discrimination? What are some examples of age discrimination?
- What is an “at will” work state?
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- What is overtime in California? Does an employer have to pay me overtime and how much should they pay me?
- What is the ADEA?
- What is the California law for vacation pay? My employer does not want to pay me for unused vacation pay when I quit or was terminated.
- What is the difference between sexual violence, sexual assault and sexual harassment?
- What is the Wage Theft Protection Act?
- What proof of discrimination at work do I need to include in a discrimination complaint?
- What qualifies as discrimination?
- What qualifies as sexual harassment at work?
- What should I do if I believe I was the victim of employment discrimination?
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- What workplace actions are prohibited under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA)?
- Who do I tell when I feel I am being sexually harassed at work?
- Who is covered by the Wage Theft Protection Act?
