Employees wrongfully fired from jobs may seek legal action for financial compensation due to the loss they suffered. If an employee can prove a wrongful dismissal in IA in a court of law, he or she should successfully receive reparations for the loss of employment.
- Types of Illegal Termination in Iowa
- Types of Legal Termination in Iowa
- At-will Employment Exceptions in Iowa
- Filing a Discrimination Charge With the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Iowa
- Filing a Lawsuit Against Your Employer in Iowa
Fired employees should pursue wrongful termination in Iowa if there were discriminatory or retaliatory reasons for dismissal. Workers wrongfully terminated from jobs for these reasons can seek justice because the employer broke a federal or state law.
What is a wrongful termination? Unlawful termination occurs when a worker experiences job loss unfairly and unlawfully. Employees wrongfully terminated in Iowa may feel helpless and experience emotional and financial distress. For more information on how to pursue legal action after being wrongfully fired, examine the sections below.
Iowa Unemployment Resources
Types of Illegal Termination in Iowa
Many types of unlawful terminations address discrimination and retaliation issues. Types of illegal terminations in Iowa that can occur include dismissal based on an employee’s characteristics of age, gender, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or veteran status.
There are types of illegal dismissal of employment that involve retaliatory or malicious actions on the employer’s part as well. These types of illegal firing occur when an employer terminates workers because they are involved in open judicial cases against the company, such as a sexual harassment case or unfair compensation claim.
The aforementioned types of unlawful terminations from employment break federal or state laws, and employees can rightfully seek justice through a claim and lawsuit. Workers who have experienced one of these types of illegal termination of employment should identify the law broken and pinpoint their cause of action before opening a case against the former employer.
Types of Legal Termination in Iowa
There are legal reasons for terminating employees in Iowa that do not break any federal or state laws. Employees who experience one of these types of legal dismissal of employment may feel unfairly treated although their former employer is working within the confines of the law.
If a worker experiences any of these types of legal termination of employment, he or she does not have the grounds to pursue legal action. Types of legal firing in IA include dismissal due to an employee’s poor performance or the ending of the employee’s contract.
Additional types of legal termination in Iowa may involve layoffs or a company closing. These types of legal dismissal of employment are acceptable and make a terminated employee’s claim of illegality ineligible.
At-Will Employment Exceptions in Iowa
Is Iowa an at will state? Since there are at will employment exceptions in Iowa, many residents question if it follows the at-will employment legal doctrine. Although exceptions to at will employment are present in the state, Iowa is an at-will employment state.
What is employment at will? Followed in almost all states in the U.S., at-will employment declares that either employees or employers can terminate the relationship at any time for any legal reason. The at will employment exceptions in Iowa include the following:
- The public-policy exception, which makes it illegal for employers to terminate employees if a public policy is violated in the process.
- The implied-contract exception, which prevents an employer from dismissing an employee if there is an implied contract in place, even if that contract is not in writing.
Note: Exceptions to at will employment not recognized by the state include the covenant of good faith and fair dealing exception, declaring that employers should always act in fairness and good faith when dealing with employees.
Filing a Discrimination Charge With the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Iowa
If you are researching how to file a charge of employment discrimination, you may note the important claim submittal deadlines. Filing a charge of discrimination in Iowa starts with submitting a claim to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). To file a wrongful termination discrimination charge, the former employees must submit claims within 180 days from dismissal or within 300 days for certain circumstances.
When considering how to file an EEOC employment discrimination claim, learning the process your claim will go through is crucial. The EEOC will first analyze your case to decide if it calls for further investigation or not due to a lack of evidence.
After filing a charge of discrimination in Iowa, the EEOC may suggest mediation for you and your employer. This process takes about three months to complete if both parties are cooperative.
If unsuccessful, the EEOC may attempt a voluntary settlement, which can take about 10 months to complete. If they cannot reach a settlement, the EEOC legal staff may pursue a lawsuit against your former employer, or the agency may grant you the Notice of Right to Sue on your own accord.
Filing a Lawsuit Against Your Employer in Iowa
Can I file a lawsuit for wrongful termination? Before suing for wrongful termination in Iowa, EEOC must give you the right to initiate a lawsuit. You can file a lawsuit against employers for wrongful termination once officials grant this permission and you have clearly identified your cause of action for the case.
When filing a wrongful termination claim against an employer, keep in mind you are responsible for providing appropriate evidence to support your case, such as witness testimonials, records and paycheck stubs. Many claimants wonder how to file a wrongful termination lawsuit properly so they can win the case.
If you want to file a lawsuit against your employer in Iowa and have a successful outcome, you should consider hiring an experienced attorney to help with your case. A lawyer can guide you through the process and assist with the gathering of crucial evidence to prove your wrongful termination in court.
Last Updated: October 18, 2022