New Jersey is an at-will employment state. That means an employer can terminate you for any reason that is not prohibited by law. In New Jersey, too many workers are illegally fired out of retaliation or because an employer discriminates based on age, race, or another characteristic. Contact The Law Offices of Usmaan Sleemi today to speak with an experienced New Jersey employment lawyer. You might have a right to sue for job reinstatement or compensation. We can review whatever evidence you have at hand to determine the validity of your legal claim.
What Does At-Will Employment Mean?
Employers let workers go for all kinds of reasons, and states like New Jersey empower employers to terminate workers for almost any reason. In an at-will employment state, a boss can terminate you simply because they think you are a bad fit for the job or even because they don’t like your personality.
There are only a few limitations on this broad right to terminate:
- Employment contract. Some workers have employment contracts that spell out the reasons a worker can be terminated, such as for cause. Because this is a binding agreement, employers must follow the procedures for termination.
- Anti-discrimination law. Various laws prohibit adverse employment actions motivated by discrimination against protected classes, such as race, gender or sex, religion, national origin, disability, and other characteristics.
- Retaliation. Various state and federal laws prohibit retaliating against a worker for engaging in protected activity, such as blowing the whistle on criminal conduct or complaining about harassment.
- Public policy. New Jersey prohibits terminations that are against public policy, such as firing someone for refusing to break the law.
Outside of these exceptions, however, employers enjoy latitude when it comes to letting workers go.
What is Wrongful Termination?
Essentially, a wrongful termination claim alleges you were terminated for a prohibited reason, like those listed above. For example, you might complain about harassment at work, and your boss retaliates by firing you. That would be wrongful termination because you were engaged in protected activity.
Employers usually argue they had legitimate, legal reasons for letting someone go. As an example, they might claim a worker’s performance took a nosedive, or that a chilly business climate required laying people off. Of course, it’s easy to make something up as a pretext when the real reason a worker was fired was discrimination or retaliation.
If you believe your termination was illegal, then contact an attorney quickly. The foundation of any claim is evidence. In particular, we want to rebut any claim that you were terminated for legitimate reasons, like poor work performance.
Contact Our Paramus Employment Lawyers to Get Started
Usmaan Sleemi is an experienced litigator who has represented New Jersey employees in a wide variety of legal claims. He can discuss your legal options if you were wrongfully terminated, such as whether to seek job reinstatement or damages. Call our office to speak with a Paramus wrongful termination lawyer or schedule an initial consultation online. Important deadlines apply to these cases.
