For as impersonal as they often seem, employers are made up of human beings, each as fallible as the next person. In many cases, an employer may fire an employee for unacceptable reasons, and if the employee does not choose to fight for fair treatment, the firing will simply go unchallenged. The truth of the matter is that some employers simply take action because they believe they can get away with it. It is the responsibility of the employee to stand up to this kind of abuse of power, especially when it comes to retaliatory firings.
In many instances, retaliatory firings are not at all legal. If, for instance, an employee in New Jersey is let go because he or she blew the whistle on questionable behavior or policies within the company, this is strictly illegal. While not all states offer this protection in the private sector, New Jersey offers whistleblower protections to both public and private sector employees.
Similarly, if an employer terminates an employee because he or she refused to do something illegal, the employee must fight this termination. This is a particularly common practice in manual labor fields, where an employee may be asked to turn a blind eye to certain safety regulations or practices. If, for instance, an employer fires a worker who refuses to complete a task without proper safety equipment, this is unacceptable.
If you believe that you were fired in retaliation, you have an opportunity and an obligation to stand up to this injustice. An experienced employment attorney can help you examine your situation and craft a strong claim against this unfair treatment.
Source: Findaw, “Was I Wrongfully Discharged From My Job?,” accessed Sep. 01, 2017
