Do I Need a Lawyer? What to Look for When Hiring a Lawyer
You didn’t see it coming and it knocked the wind out of you. You were furloughed. You were fired. Your employee sued. You did exceptional work and your client refuses to pay. Someone took advantage of your kindness, your flexibility, your willingness to help. You were sexually harassed. You were fired. You were treated poorly, taken advantage of, and it shook you to the core. Your emotions cycle between confusion, hurt, and anger. You may even feel shameful and embarrassed that you found yourself in this situation. At some point you wonder if it’s your fault and how could you have kept this from happening? But then you realize it’s not your fault and that you should do something; you need to do something. But you don’t know what to do. Someone you trust, perhaps your father, your spouse, sibling, or a friend, said you should talk to a lawyer. But you’ve never hired a lawyer before and you don’t see yourself as the type of person who hires a lawyer. It feels so aggressive and just the thought of … Continue reading
What is Wrongful Termination?
Employment is At-Will with Exceptions The vast majority of employers and workers in California have heard the term “at-will” employment. Employers often interpret at-will employment to mean that employees could be terminated at the employer’s will. Workers often interpret it to mean it that employers may not terminate an employee without a reason or notice or for unfair reasons. The legal standards are somewhere in the middle. In California, “at-will” employment means that an employer may terminate the employment relationship for any reason or for no reason at all. On the flip side, employees may also quit for any reason or for no reason at all with or without notice. However, on the employer side, there are certain restrictions or exceptions to the “for any reason or for no reason at all.” That is, employers may not terminate (or make conditions such that an employee has no other choice but to quit) for a wrongful reason. In other words, employers may terminate the relationship so long as the reason for the termination is not discriminatory, in breach of a contractual … Continue reading