Walk It Through: The Firing with No Reason
A long past probationary period, a firing with no reason, the employer's appeal, and 1 year to sue.
Long past the first year on the job, a warehouse lead is fired with no reason given.
Two things a person in this spot might do. Picking one shows what the law says about it.
A private employee past probation fired without a stated reason. A union contract, a public employee and a firing for reporting a violation are left out.
A practice walkthrough, not a prediction of how any real one will go. Legal information, not legal advice.
Words this turns on
Terms with a legal meaning that is narrower than the everyday one. Each links to the definition and the authority behind it.
- Good causeUnder the wrongful discharge law, a reasonable job related ground: poor performance, disrupting the operation, breaking a written policy, or another legitimate business reason.
- Probationary periodWhere the employer sets none, 12 months from the day the employee begins work. With extensions it may not run past 18 months.
- Wrongful dischargeA discharge that was not for good cause after the probationary period, was retaliation for refusing to break public policy or for reporting a violation, broke the employer's own written policy, or was solely for legal free speech.