What is a wrongful termination? You have been wrongfully fired if your employer has broken a federal or state law by dismissing you from employment.
Employees who were wrongfully terminated from jobs usually experience financial and emotional hardships. If you feel you have experienced an unlawful termination in CT, you have the right to pursue a claim or case against your former employer.
- Types of Illegal Termination in Connecticut
- Types of Legal Termination in Connecticut
- At-will Employment Exceptions in Connecticut
- Filing a Discrimination Charge With the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Connecticut
- Filing a Lawsuit Against Your Employer in Connecticut
Workers who were wrongfully fired from jobs may not feel they can reclaim damages. However, if you suffered a wrongful dismissal that violated a law, you can seek compensation through the court system.
Wrongful termination in Connecticut can be proven if there was discrimination or a retaliatory act committed by the employer. To determine if you were wrongfully terminated in CT and to review your legal options, examine the following sections:
Connecticut Unemployment Resources
Types of Illegal Termination in Connecticut
There are different types of illegal termination of employment that break discrimination state and federal laws. These types of unlawful terminations from employment include dismissing an employee due to characteristics of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, disability or veteran status.
Types of illegal terminations in Connecticut also involve firing employees in retaliation for open cases they have raised against the employer due to potential illegal actions in the workplace.
When one of these types of unlawful terminations is committed, the employee has grounds to sue the former employer. The aforementioned types of illegal dismissal of employment can become an employee’s cause of action to file a lawsuit.
When an employee in a court of law proves one of the types of illegal firing, he or she may receive compensation for lost wages or emotional harm.
Types of Legal Termination in Connecticut
The types of legal firing that can rightfully occur include layoffs and the ending of employee contracts. Additional types of legal termination of employment involve poor performance by an employee or the closing of a business.
If one of these legal reasons for terminating employees in Connecticut is used by an employer, the worker has no basis to file a claim.
These types of legal dismissal of employment in CT give employers the right to terminate an employee without breaking any laws. Employees who have experienced one of these types of legal termination in Connecticut may feel unfairly treated but do not have the authority to file a claim against their former employer.
At-Will Employment Exceptions in Connecticut
There are at-will employment exceptions in Connecticut recognized by state law. Exceptions to at-will employment protect an employee’s rights and prevent unfair termination.
Is Connecticut an at-will state? The state observes the at-will employment law and is an at-will state, as is almost every state in the country.
What is employment at will? The at-will employment law declares that the employee-employer relationship is terminable at any time by either party for any legal reason. This legality allows employers to dismiss employees when they see fit and permit workers to quit their job if they choose.
The exceptions to at-will employment include the public-policy exception (a worker cannot be fired if it violates a public policy), implied-contract exception (an employer cannot terminate an employee if an implied contract is in place) and covenant of good faith and fair dealing exception (the employer must always act fairly and in good faith).
Note: All at will employment exceptions in Connecticut are under observance, except the covenant of good faith and fair dealing exception.
Filing a Discrimination Charge With the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Connecticut
When filing a charge of discrimination in Connecticut, you have 180 calendar days to turn the claim into the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). If you are looking into how to file a charge of employment discrimination, keep in mind that you will be responsible for providing a brief synopsis of your dismissal and the cause of action for your case.
When you file a wrongful termination discrimination charge, the EEOC will notify you of their decision to pursue an investigation or close your claim.
When researching how to file an EEOC employment discrimination claim, you may find different possibilities for the conclusion of your claim. After the investigation, the EEOC may determine that your claim is invalid and close the case. If your case is valid, the EEOC may ask you and your employer to participate in mediation to close the claim successfully, which can take approximately three months.
After you file a wrongful termination discrimination charge, the EEOC may continue the investigation process and attempt to pursue a settlement for you, which can take an average of 10 months to complete. If this is unsuccessful, the EEOC will grant you the Notice of Right to Sue, or the EEOC staff may choose to sue your employer and take on the case themselves.
When a Notice of Right to Sue is available, you can pursue legal action against your employer in a court of law.
Filing a Lawsuit Against Your Employer in Connecticut
Permission to file a lawsuit against your employer in Connecticut means you must provide evidence of illegal dismissal. Before filing a wrongful termination claim against an employer, you will also be responsible for pinpointing your cause of action and the discrimination or retaliation that took place.
Most employees who file a lawsuit against employers for wrongful termination organize witness testimonials, documentation, pay stubs and records before starting their case.
If you are questioning, “Can I file a lawsuit for wrongful termination and receive compensation?” you should consider hiring an attorney. A lawyer can walk you through how to file a wrongful termination lawsuit in CT.
When suing for wrongful termination in Connecticut, it is important to demonstrate without a doubt that your firing was illegal, and an attorney can help you to establish evidence to prove your case.
Last Updated: October 18, 2022