All companies, no matter the size or industry, have a duty to provide and promote fair treatment of their employees. This is not just a matter of morals or ethics; there are laws that prohibit discrimination, retaliation, and other abusive practices by employers. However, employees can still be intimidated, harassed, and misled on their legal rights. They can also lose their job, even after many years of faithful service.
Big corporate entities like Target may seem invincible, but rest assured that you have legal options if you were illegally terminated from your job. In fact, discrimination is a leading cause of termination and other unfair employment decisions by companies like Target, and these corporations count on workers staying silent. If you suspect that your recent job loss from Target broke federal and/or state employment laws, contact California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group as soon as possible. With help from our legal team, you can obtain compensation for lost wages and job benefits, pain and suffering, and other monetary damages.
What Does It Mean to be Wrongfully Terminated?
A termination can be unfair and totally unexpected, but that does not mean it is unlawful. In order to prove you were wrongfully terminated, you must show that Target broke the law when they made the decision to fire you.
The laws that have to do with wrongful termination are generally based on discrimination, i.e., subjecting an employee to negative treatment over a protected characteristic, like their age, race, gender, disability, or religion. Retaliation is a separate category of illegal treatment, but it usually goes hand in hand with discrimination.
For example, you may have been injured in an accident and need accommodations during your recovery. What you asked for – elimination of certain non-essential tasks and flexibility to attend doctor’s appointments once a week – is within reason based on your position and the company’s resources. However, your supervisor keeps stalling on your request and becomes more and more critical of your job performance. Finally, you decide enough is enough and file a complaint with Human Resources. Afterwards, you receive a termination notice from your employer, which is likely a form of retaliation for complaining to HR because of disability discrimination by your employer.
Laws That Prohibit Wrongful Termination
There are many different ways to fire someone unlawfully, but what are the laws that protect California employees from illegal wrongful termination? As someone that works for Target or any other company, you have important protections against discriminatory conduct and retaliation for exercising your employment rights.
At the federal level, you are protected from workplace discrimination by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which makes it illegal to fire someone or make other negative employment decision based on protected characteristics. The Civil Rights Act also has an amendment called the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA). So, if you were fired because of a pregnancy or needing time off and other accommodations related to pregnancy or giving birth, we can advise you on the possibly of suing Target for discrimination. These and other laws that pertain to fair and equal treatment in the workplace can be used to hold Target accountable if they fired you wrongfully.
You also have protections under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). The state laws provide even greater protections for workers who are facing unfair treatment at their job. FEHA allows you to file a complaint against your employer if you lost your job over discrimination based on sexuality, gender or gender identity, political beliefs, religion, medical condition, marital status, and much more.
At the end of the day, it can be challenging to figure out if your case meets the standard of wrongful termination. That’s why you must talk to a Target wrongful termination attorney right away, who can verify your eligibility for a lawsuit.
Employment Violations Other than Wrongful Termination
You may not have lost your job, but you can still suffer due to harassment, denied work opportunities, unfair demotion and other treatment that is not allowed under state and federal labor laws. For example, maybe you are dealing with sexual harassment from a supervisor, which is very common in retail work settings. Workers at Target and other big box stores can also face age discrimination, meaning that certain positions and privileges are overwhelmingly bestowed upon those who are below a certain age. Gender bias can also play a role in how one set of employees are treated versus another. Unfair treatment based on gender or gender identity / presentation is illegal in the state of California.
As you can see, there are many different circumstances that can serve as grounds for an employment lawsuit against Target. If you have any questions or concerns about your rights as a Target employee, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We are happy to provide you with a one-on-one consultation, completely free of charge.
Help from a Target Wrongful Termination Lawyer
Retail workers are some of the most underappreciated members in our community, and sadly, it’s not just rude customers that make their lives difficult. Unjust employers can take away a person’s livelihood without notice, thereby jeopardizing the worker’s finances and professional reputation.
We know that a wrongful termination is much more than losing your job. And those who break the law should be punished and ordered to provide compensation to the affected employee. These are the principles that guide us on a daily basis here at California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group. We also believe that all victims of wrongful termination deserve free legal services. With that in mind, you pay us $0 under the Zero Fee Guarantee. As part of the settlement that’s owed to you, we ask Target to cover all legal fees, ensuring that we do not get paid unless you receive compensation.
We understand that the legal system can be overwhelming, but know that our attorneys are with you every step of the way. Contact our law firm as soon as possible and schedule a free case evaluation if you were wrongfully terminated by Target.
