What Can an Oakland Wrongful Termination Attorney Do for You?

Jobs come and they go. Most people today work with a single employer for no longer than five years before moving on to greener pastures. That’s fine if you left the employer of your own volition, but if you were fired for unlawful reasons, you might benefit from consulting with an Oakland wrongful termination attorney. What can such a lawyer do for you?

Determining Termination Reasons

For most employees, including those in California, the situation with an employer is that you work “at will”. That is, you can quit at any time, and for any reason, and your employer can fire you at any time, and for any reason. However, the reason for your termination cannot be unlawful.

What’s Unlawful Termination?

What is an unlawful termination? Essentially, it boils down to any situation in which an employer terminated an employee for an illegal reason. For instance, if an employee was fired in retaliation, or because they had blown the whistle about unsafe or illegal practices by the employer. Other unlawful reasons for termination can include:

• Sexual harassment
• Pregnancy
• Discrimination of any kind

How Can an Oakland Wrongful Termination Attorney Help You?

When your employer terminates you, they are under no obligation to provide a reason for the termination. However, many do. In this case, it’s considered “terminated for cause”, with the reason being the cause. Working with a wrongful termination attorney can help determine the true motivation for the termination, even if your employer provided a false cause, or if they did not provide a reason for the termination at all.

What Damages Can Be Recovered?

A wrongful termination suit is usually brought in an attempt to gain damages, rather than a reinstatement with the employer. The most common type of damages sought are lost wages, but others can include health benefits, retirement accounts, and more. In some cases, there may be punitive damages sought, particularly to help prevent the same sort of situation from occurring with other employees at the business.

At Bracamontes & Vlasak, a Professional Law Corporation, we have years of experience handling complicated employment law situations. We can help you determine if you were in fact terminated for an unlawful reason, and then guide you through the following process. We invite you to call us today at 800-392-1427 for a free initial consultation on your case.