At-will doesn't mean anything goes
Employers repeat 'at-will' like a spell that ends every conversation. It doesn't. A termination is unlawful when the real reason is discrimination, retaliation for protected activity, taking protected leave, refusing to break the law, or reporting wrongdoing.
The paper trail usually exists
Sudden bad reviews after years of praise. A write-up campaign that starts right after your complaint. Your duties handed to someone younger within weeks. We know what pretext looks like and how to prove it through discovery, depositions, and timing evidence employers can't erase.
What a wrongful termination case can recover
- Lost wages and benefits, past and future
- Emotional distress damages
- Punitive damages in egregious cases
- Attorney fees under many employment statutes
- Sometimes reinstatement, when you want it
Questions we hear
I was told my position was eliminated, but someone new is doing my job. Case?
That pattern is classic pretext. If the elimination story is false and the timing follows protected activity or a protected characteristic, you likely have a claim.
How long do I have to sue for wrongful termination in California?
Most discrimination and retaliation claims require a civil rights agency filing within three years, and other theories run two to four years. Sooner is always stronger.
I signed a severance agreement. Is it over?
Maybe not. Some releases are invalid or were signed under unlawful pressure, and some claims can't be waived. Let us read it before you conclude anything.