Wrongful Termination

Wrongful termination is a general phrase which can refer to any termination of employment which is illegal or contrary to law. Sometimes a person can be treated badly at work, harassed, subjected to a hostile work environment, and even terminated, and while that conduct may be unfair and is certainly hurtful, it is not necessarily illegal.

Here are some examples of terminations that may give rise to a legal claim:

• Company A recruits you away from a long-term, stable job with Company B, promising you a better position and a higher salary. You give your notice to Company B and plan to start work for Company A after taking a quick, long- overdue vacation. The day before you start with Company A, and after Company B has already replaced you, Company A informs you that its circumstances have changed and they no longer need you. This factual scenario could give rise to a claim for fraudulent inducement or promissory estoppel.
• You get a job straight out of high school and, over a 30 year period, you work your way up the ranks to a middle management position. You routinely receive positive performance appraisals and regular raises. Six months after you get a new supervisor, you receive your first-ever poor performance review and you are put on a performance improvement plan (PIP). Three months later, you are terminated and replaced with a 28 year old. This factual scenario could give rise to an age discrimination claim under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD).
• You work in the Quality Assurance department of a large pharmaceutical company. Your boss asks you to sign off on some paperwork which is needed to release a product into the marketplace. You know that the product did not meet certain FDA regulations and you refuse to sign. Your boss writes you up for insubordination and terminates you. Under these facts, you could have a whistle blower claim under the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA).

Taking Action:

Determining whether you have a claim for wrongful termination requires the assistance of a professional. If you believe you are the victim of wrongful termination, Zuckerman & Fisher, LLC is willing and able to help you. We are located in Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey, and we have experience statewide resolving all types of discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims, whether through settlement or trial. So, contact us to set up an initial consultation. You can call us at 609.514.0514, or email us at ez@zuckfish.com (for Elizabeth Zuckerman, Esq.), or gwf@zuckfish.com (for George Fisher, Esq.). We will be happy to discuss your matter over the phone before you decide whether to schedule an initial consultation.