Most professionals want to keep their jobs indefinitely, or at least until a better opportunity arises. Losing a job suddenly can cause significant financial hardship and may increase the timeline for achieving certain professional goals.
When people lose their jobs, they may sometimes have grounds to take legal action against their employers. Wrongful termination lawsuits can result in a professional regaining their position or receiving compensation for the losses they sustained.
Can at-will employment statutes prevent workers in Pennsylvania from filing wrongful termination lawsuits?
Wrongful terminations can still occur
At-will labor laws limit the opportunities for a wrongful death lawsuit. Employers do not have to provide a reason for terminating a worker, and they also do not have to provide advance notice.
However, Pennsylvania’s at-will employment laws do not make it legal or appropriate to make retaliatory or discriminatory employment decisions. Companies also have an obligation to fulfill the terms of employment contracts, such as an agreement to provide a severance package.
Professionals shouldn’t have to worry about punishment, including termination, if they assert their rights in the workplace. They also should not lose their jobs due to their age, sex or other protected characteristics. So long as a professional has evidence supporting their claim that a termination was discriminatory or retaliatory, they may potentially be able to file a wrongful termination lawsuit.
Learning more about how labor laws affect workers’ rights can help facilitate an appropriate response to a sudden job loss. Even with an at-will employment statute, Pennsylvania still allows wrongfully-terminated employees to take legal action against the companies that fired them.
