Common Issues Arising upon Separation from Employment
VI. Employee Rights for Wrongful Discharge
Employee rights for wrongful discharge are generally governed by both state and federal employment laws.
In addition, union contracts, employment contracts and employee handbooks often provide additional rights to challenge wrongful termination.
Federal and state laws dealing with wrongful discharge generally prohibit discrimination in employment based upon race, national origin, sex, age, religion, handicap or union activity.
A complete listing of all prohibited or discriminatory employment practices is much more extensive than can be dealt with here.
Evidence of illegal discrimination includes discriminatory statements such as racial slurs.
In addition, where employees are treated differently in their employment, and there is no legitimate business reason for that difference in treatment, the difference in treatment may evidence illegal discrimination based upon some protected trait such as race, gender or age.