Employment arrangements range in length from temporary to indefinite, depending on the circumstances. Workers might take a new position with the company and hope to continue working there for years to come. They may hope to move up in rank within the company and eventually retire with benefits.
Unfortunately, workers do not always achieve their employment goals, in part because the organizations that employ them may have other plans. Sometimes, workers end up losing their jobs because companies terminate them suddenly. They could also end up laid off as part of a large-scale reduction in staff.
Workers who have been terminated in Florida might end up scrambling for a new position and may have to accept a less prestigious role with less pay. In some cases, they may feel like the company wronged them by terminating them. They may question whether they have any recourse given that Florida is an at-will employment state. Can wrongful termination occur in states with at-will employment laws?
Employers must still abide by the law
Contrary to what some people assume, at-will employment statutes do not prevent wrongful terminations from occurring. Instead, they simply limit the scenarios in which employers may face litigation over the decision to terminate a worker.
At-will employment laws generally allow workers to leave their positions without notice. Employers can also make the decision to terminate employment with no advance notice and no specific reason given for the decision. However, employers cannot terminate workers for inappropriate or illegal reasons even in at-will states.
Generally speaking, the two main scenarios that lead to allegations of wrongful termination are retaliation and discrimination. If companies fire workers because they engage in protected activities, like reporting harassment, that could constitute retaliation and therefore wrongful termination.
If an employer fires a worker because of a medical condition or their religion, that could also be wrongful termination on the basis of discrimination. Workers who suspect that employers inappropriately fired them may have grounds to initiate legal action.
Wrongful termination lawsuits sometimes help workers get their jobs back or get compensated for their termination. Such lawsuits also can help hold employers accountable and hopefully change the way that they treat their employees in the future.
