Most employees in California are employed at will, meaning they can be terminated at any time and for any reason that does not violate the law. However, there is an exception to this: employers may not legally terminate employees for reasons that violate a fundamental public policy of the state. An example of this is when an employee is fired for making a good faith complaint of sexual harassment against a manager or coworker. This complaint is considered “protected activity,” meaning an employee may not be treated adversely in any way for engaging in it. Another example is where an employee is terminated for complaining about not getting paid for overtime wages owed.
If you think your employer has retaliated against your or terminated you for an unlawful reason, please call us right away.
