Wrongful Termination Attorney in Hollywood, FL James Jean-Francois, P.A

Fighting for Workers Who Faced Unfair or Illegal Firings in Florida

When a company starts to hire workers, it takes on certain responsibilities. Of these, abiding by worker protections is among the most important. Employers cannot engage in discriminatory conduct or other inappropriate acts. Problems can also arise when they fire a worker without proper cause. Federal and state laws provide certain protections if you’re a former employee who believes you were inappropriately let go. A wrongful termination lawyer in Hollywood, FL may be able to assist.

At The Law Offices of James Jean-Francois, P.A., we have handled some of the most complex employment law cases in Florida. Whether you were an at-will employee or had an employment contract in place, you have rights that can protect you. There may be little you can do to avoid being wrongfully terminated, but if this happens to you, there’s plenty you can do to respond. Let our employment attorneys review your case and help you better understand your options.

What Is Considered a Wrongful Termination?

Wrongful termination is an unlawful act. Committing such an act can leave an employer open to sanctions, damages, and being forced to reinstate employees. However, it’s important to understand the difference between wrongful termination cases and legal firings. Review the following types of inappropriate reasons for dismissals, and if you believe you fall into any of these categories,

contact our law firm immediately to discuss your legal options:

Discriminatory Reasons

Some of the most common cases that wrongful termination lawyers in Hollywood, FL handle relate to discrimination. This could include firing someone over their race, national origin, gender, disability, and other protected statuses. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) handles complaints regarding wrongful termination for discriminatory reasons, but you can also file a lawsuit with the help of an employment law firm.

Breach of Contract

There are many reasons that a person may be fired, and many employers take advantage of this. However, not every employee will find themselves in the same situation. An employer could fire two people for the exact same reason, and in doing so, they may have engaged in wrongful termination towards one, not the other. That’s because an employment contract — whether written, oral, or implied — grants additional protections to workers who have one.

Retaliation

Employers can also not terminate an employee as retaliation for engaging in legally protected actions. For instance, some unethical employers have fired workers for filing a workers’ compensation claim, reporting an unlawful act (e.g., criminality, sexual harassment), utilizing their rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), reporting for jury duty, and other protected activities.

Can Someone Be Fired for No Reason?

Every Florida wrongful termination lawyer is frequently asked, “Can I be fired for no reason?” As it turns out, the answer is typically “yes” in Florida. Just because an employer fires someone without cause does not mean the employee was wrongfully terminated. Florida is an at-will employment state. This means that employers and employees can end their professional relationship at any time.

However, keep in mind that being fired for no reason is not the same as being fired for any reason. Termination due to age discrimination, national origin, religious discrimination, reporting illegal activity, requesting unpaid wages, seeking paternity leave, or any other reason protected under state and federal law is illegal. In these cases, you may be entitled to take legal action.

Contact The Law Offices of James Jean-Francois today to discuss your case in more detail.

How Can a Florida Wrongful Termination Attorney Help?

If you’ve been wrongfully terminated, you may be able to recover damages and secure other forms of compensation. However, the legal issues involved are often complex. Even if you were clearly treated differently or faced blatant violations of your workplace rights, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get a fair outcome by taking legal action. That’s why working with Florida wrongful termination lawyers is so important to get what you deserve.

Here are a few ways that a legal professional can help:

Provide legal assessment to help you understand your options
Review employment documents to avoid potential violations
Investigate the circumstances of a termination, gather evidence, and interview witnesses
Attempt to negotiate a settlement with the employer
File administrative complaints on your behalf
File litigation or retaliation claims

Any violation of employment law can lead to serious consequences for employers. However, this is only the case if they’re held accountable for their actions. Whether you were wrongfully terminated under FMLA for a health condition or blatant discrimination was involved, an experienced attorney may be able to help you secure lost wages, damages for emotional distress, lost income potential, reinstatement (when appropriate), out-of-pocket expenses, expenses for replacing health insurance, and even punitive damages if the employer’s actions were particularly egregious.

Our wrongful termination attorneys in Hollywood, FL will strive to secure every legal remedy on your behalf. Contact us today to get started.

Wrongful Termination Lawyers in Hollywood, FL Can Help

Anyone who faces wrongful termination needs to understand that they have rights. From pregnancy discrimination to outright racist behavior, unlawful termination can have major consequences for employers. Fortunately, federal and Florida law is on the side of employees. Workplace rights are far too often violated without the appropriate penalties, but having an experienced employment law firm on your side can prove invaluable to holding businesses accountable for illegal actions.

At The Law Offices of James Jean-Francois, P.A., we understand that identifying the best course of action after wrongful termination can be difficult. Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” solution. The legal ramifications of your case can vary based on the reason you were fired, how many employees a company has, and even how long it’s been since your termination. Due to the complexity of these cases, working with Hollywood, FL wrongful termination lawyers is likely in your best interest.

Wrongful Termination Lawyer in Hollywood, FL