What To Do Immediately After a Wrongful Termination

If you’ve been fired from your job on illegal grounds, you must take immediate action. You may be entitled to compensation in the face of great strain and stress.

Knowing what to do immediately after a wrongful termination is key. There are deadlines, and you must follow the right steps to avoid jeopardizing your case. In this article, the experienced legal team at Kent Pincin walks you through these steps.

Calm Down

You may feel angry or bitter if you’ve been fired. Before doing anything else, calm down and try to be positive. Remaining optimistic and focused will help you through the long fight ahead.

During this time, it’s important that you do nothing rash. Don’t try to retaliate, be uncivil, or send a rude email. These things could hurt your case and could even lead to lawsuits against you. 

Plus, none of this will get you your job back.

Ask for an Explanation

Your employer may have explained why they fired you. But sometimes, there are underlying reasons you may not know about. Reach out to the company or whoever signed your termination letter to ask for a reason. You could also try to get a hold of your personnel file.

Finding out the real reason behind your dismissal can help determine whether you were wrongfully terminated.

Understand Wrongful Termination

Employers are prohibited from firing workers based on discrimination, harassment, breach of contract, or retaliation. You also cannot be fired for reasons that violate public policy or state or federal statutes. 

For example, you cannot be fired for protected personal characteristics, including race/color, sex/gender, marital status, and more. A key point in what to do immediately after wrongful termination is understanding whether your situation may qualify as illegal dismissal.

Know Your Rights

As an employee, you have rights. This includes not being discriminated against, taking time off, and taking action or filing complaints against your employer without fear of retaliation. 

If these or other rights were violated, such as through wrongful termination, you have legal protections. You may be able to file complaints or lawsuits to receive compensation or pursue other avenues of remediation.

Gather Evidence

If you want to build a case or file a complaint, you’ll need evidence to back it up.

Having access to your personnel file, along with prior warnings, can be helpful. In addition, write down any details about why you were fired. These should include:

• Dates and times of relevant events
• Who was involved and why they may have supported your dismissal

Hire a Wrongful Termination Attorney

If you think you were illegally dismissed, consider working with a wrongful termination attorney as part of your emergency response to wrongful termination. An experienced attorney can review your case and tell you whether it’s solid.

You’ll also better understand what’s going on in your case and be more informed and supported during the process.

File a Complaint

You may be eligible to file a complaint with a regulatory agency, depending on your circumstances. Such agencies may investigate your complaint and impose penalties on the offending party. In some cases, the agency may sue on your behalf or try to reach a settlement for you. 

This is another time when your wrongful termination attorney will be helpful. They can choose which agency to file with and how it may affect your case and potential compensation.

File a Wrongful Termination Lawsuit

Wrongful termination comes with the right to sue once granted by the employment agency handling your claim. During the case, your attorney will walk you through each step of the process. They can help you gather evidence, handle communications, and ensure your comfort with courtroom proceedings. 

They can also inform you whether it would be better to sue or seek a settlement.

Know Your Possible Remedies

What you are able to receive based on your case will depend on your compensation. Many people seek compensation for lost income and money that they may continue to lose.

You might also be eligible for compensation for:

• Emotional/mental distress
• Punitive damages
• Lost benefits
• Out-of-pocket expenses

In some cases, you may be reinstated with reasonable accommodations. Your employer may need to make policy changes and offer required training.

Your attorney will be able to help you decide what remedies you may be eligible for and should pursue.

Reacting to Wrongful Job Loss: Urgent Actions You Need To Take

Understanding what to do immediately after a wrongful termination can set you up for success when recovering from the situation. Taking the appropriate immediate measures after wrongful job termination includes understanding your rights, finding an attorney, and filing a complaint and/or lawsuit.

When taking swift action after a wrongful job dismissal, you want an attorney who will confidently handle your case. Kent Pincin is here for you. Give us a call at 301-376-0922 to schedule your free consultation today.