Are you under the impression that your boss fired you in retaliation for something that shouldn’t have gotten you fired? Unfortunately, people get fired for discriminatory and illegal reasons all the time. This is called wrongful termination, and you deserve to be compensated for your frustration, pain, and troubles.
At first, it can be confusing losing your job. If you’ve worked there for a number of years, you might feel like you’ve lost more than just a paycheck. If you enjoyed your job, that feeling can be even worse. However, there are several things you can do about your situation, starting with obtaining legal counsel.
Get a wrongful termination lawyer quickly
The first thing you need to do is get a wrongful termination attorney to look at your case details. Most attorneys provide free consultations so you don’t have to worry about wasting your money if you don’t have a case.
Only a lawyer can tell you if you have a case, but sometimes it’s more than obvious. Many circumstances count as wrongful termination. For example, your termination was illegal if you were fired for:
· Reporting unwanted sexual advances
· Being a specific gender, race, or color
· Belonging to a certain religion
· Getting pregnant
· Asking for time off through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
· Other, similar circumstances
There is a statute of limitations on wrongful termination lawsuits, so don’t wait to talk to a lawyer. The sooner you can start your case, the better.
Don’t speak to your coworkers
Were you part of a group of employees who discussed doing something about a bad situation at work? Were you the only one who followed up with a complaint, or asking your boss to knock it off?
Being the sole person in a battle against your boss is a sign that your former coworkers might be backpedaling their involvement in order to save their jobs. Many times, people become passionate about a cause at work, especially injustice, and then change their minds really fast when consequences are thrown down.
Try not to talk to your former coworkers about what happened to you because they might be fishing for information to report back to your boss. You don’t want to give your boss a heads up about what you’re doing, especially when you’re pursuing a wrongful termination lawsuit.
Take good care of yourself
One of the most important (yet forgotten) tasks is to take good care of yourself. When you’re stressed out, worried about how you’re going to pay your bills, and what’s next for your career, you need self-care more than anything.
Take time out of your day to do things that make you feel good. Take a hot bath, soak in some Epsom salts, go get a full body massage, or hit the chiropractor for an adjustment. Do whatever makes you feel good.
Stress management is critical for your overall health, and if you don’t get it under control, you could suffer physical consequences. Prolonged stress puts a strain on your organs, and keeps the stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline, rushing through your body. With these stress hormones flooding your body, you’ll be on edge and it won’t take much to make you upset.
So, take care of yourself to prevent experiencing heightened and prolonged bouts of stress in your life. You’re already dealing with enough, having been fired.
Consider your job options
Being fired means you need to find another job, and fast. Start considering your job options to see what resonates with you. If you’ve been thinking about starting a new career in a different field, now would be a great time to pursue that new field.
Don’t tell new jobs about your lawsuit
Last, but not least, don’t tell your potential employers you have a lawsuit pending against your former employer. If they ask, or if it comes up specifically, don’t deny it. However, don’t offer this kind of information.
Even if you were severely wronged, your potential employers might look at the situation as a red flag. They don’t know you or your situation; all they will know is you’re suing the last company you worked for and that might make them hesitant to hire you.
Seek justice through the legal system
Above all else, seek justice through the legal system by filing a wrongful termination suit. Don’t do anything to get back at your boss. Do everything legally, and you’ll have a much better outcome in the end.