What is a wrongful termination? Employees wrongfully terminated in OK experienced dismissal from employment for unlawful reasons. After suffering a wrongful dismissal, terminated employees may feel discriminated or retaliated against by their previous employer. When wrongfully terminated from jobs, employees have rights to file a claim to seek reconciliation for lost compensation and emotional damage.
Wrongful termination in Oklahoma can also ruin an employee’s professional reputation and make it hard for career advancement. After being wrongfully fired from jobs, workers should look into state and federal employment laws that may have been broken in the process. Employees wrongfully fired in OK can take legal action to pursue justice. Researching unlawful termination in Oklahoma can help employees to develop a plan before suing their former employer.
To learn more about being wrongfully fired and how to file a claim, examine the sections below:
- Types Of Illegal Termination in Oklahoma
- Types Of Legal Termination in Oklahoma
- At-Will Employment Exceptions in Oklahoma
- Filing a Discrimination Charge With The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Oklahoma
- Filing a Lawsuit Against Your Employer in Oklahoma
Oklahoma Unemployment Resources
Types of Illegal Termination in Oklahoma
Many types of illegal termination of employment in OK address discrimination or malicious intent issues. The common types of illegal dismissal of employment include discrimination against an employee’s gender, race, nationality, veteran status, age or disability.
Additional types of unlawful terminations are firing of an employee with the intent of retaliating against the worker’s actions. These types of illegal terminations in Oklahoma can happen when an employee has an open legal case against the company, such as a health and conditions formal complaint or sexual harassment lawsuit.
If an employer subjects an employee to one of these types of illegal firing, the employee may be able to file a claim against the employer. Types of unlawful terminations from employment are available to pursue through the court system if the worker can prove the former employer violated a law.
Types of Legal Termination in Oklahoma
An employer claiming legal reasons for terminating employees in Oklahoma may have fired an employee for poor performance. Furthermore, types of legal termination of employment may involve an employee’s end of the contract or the closing of a business.
Other types of legal firing in OK include an employer who terminated a worker because of staff layoffs or company downsizing. If an employer dismisses an employee for any of these types of legal termination in Oklahoma, the unemployed worker may not have a case against the former employer. These types of legal dismissal of employment do not break any federal or state laws, so employees subjected to these dismissals are ineligible to file a lawsuit.
At-Will Employment Exceptions in Oklahoma
There are at-will employment exceptions in Oklahoma that the state observes to complement the at-will employment law and prevent illegal firings. These exceptions to at-will employment ensure that the employer-employee relationship terminates for valid and fair reasons only. Is Oklahoma an at-will state if there are exceptions to the doctrine? Although there are some exceptions recognized, Oklahoma does observe the at-will employment legal doctrine.
What is employment at will? The at-will employment law allows both employers and employees to end their working relationship legally at any point in time if there is no contract in place and the termination is based on legal reasons.
The at-will employment exceptions in Oklahoma are the implied-contract exception, outlawing employers from firing workers if there is an implied contract in place, and the public-policy exception, prohibiting the termination of employees by an employer if an implied contract is active. The exceptions to at-will employment not recognized by the state currently include the covenant of good faith and fair dealing exception, banning employers from exhibiting malicious or retaliatory behavior toward employees.
Filing a Discrimination Charge With the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Oklahoma
If you plan to file a wrongful termination discrimination charge in OK, you will first need to file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Filing a charge of discrimination in Oklahoma with the EEOC is available by mail, phone or in person at the Oklahoma City district office.
The process for how to file a charge of employment discrimination needs to commence within 180 days of the illegal firing. After starting the claim filing process, the EEOC will reject your claim if there is a lack of evidence or accept it if there appears to be an illegal termination.
When you look into how to file an EEOC employment discrimination charge, you will find that the agency may have several avenues to process the claim once the investigation completes. The EEOC may suggest a mediation program so you and your employer can reach a settlement.
After you file a wrongful termination discrimination charge and the mediation session is unsuccessful, the EEOC may then attempt to conclude a voluntary settlement between both parties. This process can take about 10 months to complete, but a failed attempt at settlement may force the EEOC to file a lawsuit against your employer. The agency may also decide to pull its legal staff from the lawsuit and grant you the Notice of Right to Sue your former employer on your own.
Filing a Lawsuit Against Your Employer in Oklahoma
Can I file a lawsuit for wrongful termination and receive restitution? To file a lawsuit against employers for wrongful termination in Oklahoma, you must receive permission from the EEOC with a Notice of Right to Sue. When filing a wrongful termination claim against an employer, you will need to provide proper evidence to support your claim, such as testimonials from witnesses or co-workers as well as documentation of professional interactions. When you file a lawsuit against your employer in Oklahoma, you may be seeking compensation for financial damages you suffered.
Learning the process for how to file a wrongful termination lawsuit is helpful before you start to gather evidence. Suing for wrongful termination in Oklahoma may be more effective if you hire an experienced attorney to assist you.
Last Updated: October 18, 2022