Wrongful Termination

Chicago, IL Wrongful Termination Attorneys

Navigating “At-Will” Employment and Wrongful Termination

In an "at-will" employment setting, employers retain the latitude to terminate employees for a multitude of reasons, even without cause, as long as these actions remain within legal and ethical boundaries.


However, a pivotal exception surfaces when an employee can demonstrate that their termination was unjust, breaching state or federal regulations against discriminatory practices or retaliatory actions. Such retaliation could stem from an employee reporting the employer to state or federal authorities in specific protected scenarios.

Entities governed by anti-discrimination laws are unequivocally barred from dismissing employees based on factors like race, age, sex, and other safeguarded categories. Moreover, in many instances, employers are prohibited from firing "whistleblowers" – employees who report workplace irregularities or concerns about wages and conditions – and those who have filed workers' compensation claims.


Should employees succeed in proving wrongful or retaliatory termination, they might be entitled to remedies such as back wages, fines, or even punitive damages. Ultimately, understanding the complex interplay of "at-will" employment and the parameters of justifiable termination is crucial for both employers and employees alike.

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