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As an employee in Massachusetts, you have certain rights as to if and when an employer can terminate your employment. Although an employer in Massachusetts does not need a reason to fire you under the state’s at-will employment laws, he or she cannot terminate your employment for an illegal reason, such as retaliation or discrimination. If you believe you are the victim of wrongful termination, contact the Boston employment lawyers at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP at (617)-391-9001 for a free consultation. Your ex-employer may owe you financial compensation.
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Wrongful termination is the firing of an employee on illegal grounds. In Massachusetts, it is illegal to terminate someone’s employment based on discrimination against a protected class or retaliation for protected activity. Protected classes include sex, orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, race, color, age, disability, genetic background, military status and criminal record. Protected activities include reporting the employer for a safety code violation, broken law, fraud, discrimination, harassment, and wage and hour violations.
In Massachusetts, an employer has the right to fire an employee (and an employee can quit) for any reason or no reason at all. If the job termination stems from illegal discrimination or retaliation, however, it is wrongful and against the law. Wrongful termination could significantly impact your life. You may lose the money you need to support your family and pay the bills. A wrongful termination lawyer could investigate your employer, host a mediation, file an official claim, gather evidence of wrongdoing, fight for job reinstatement and demand fair compensation on your behalf. A lawyer may be able to achieve the financial award you need during a difficult time.
You should not accept job termination if you have reason to believe it occurred due to unlawful reasons. If you recently filed a safety hazard complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, for example, and your employer let you go immediately after, you may have a wrongful termination case. If an attorney finds evidence of wrongful termination, he or she could file an official claim on your behalf in pursuit of justice and damages.
The first phase of a wrongful termination claim is contacting your employer’s human resources department. Your workplace may have an internal process to remedy the issue. If not, contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to file a formal complaint. The EEOC may take steps to resolve your case. Then, contact a lawyer from Sweeney Merrigan about filing a lawsuit against your employer. A civil lawsuit could result in compensation for damages such as front and back pay, attorney’s fees, emotional distress damages, and punitive damages.
A wrongful termination lawsuit could shed light on illegal practices by companies, corporations and employers in your community. It could change things for the better for other workers in the future. A lawsuit could also repay you for the losses you incurred due to wrongful termination. The money received in a successful suit could help your family pay for food, shelter, bills and more before you find another job or achieve job reinstatement. Learn about your specific claim with help from the attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP today. Contact us online or call (617)-391-9001 to request a free wrongful termination consultation.
Attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP have been recognized and honored by several of the top legal associations, including SuperLawyers, National Trial Lawyers Association, and Best Lawyers.
Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP is a highly successful personal injury law firm serving Massachusetts since 2011.
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