If you lose your job, it can be a traumatic experience. You do have rights as a worker, and if you were wrongfully terminated in Arizona, you may have the reason to pursue a wrongful termination claim against your employer.
You will need to gather supporting evidence and documentation to prove what happened, how it happened, and why it happened.
With the guidance of an employment law attorney and the proper evidence, you can recover compensation for your damages suffered if you have been wrongfully terminated from your job in Arizona.
What Are My Rights In Wrongful Termination?
Although Arizona is a right-to-work state, which means an employer can let you go for many reasons, it may still be illegal for an employer to fire you for many reasons.
There are exceptions to the at-will rule. As an example, an employer cannot terminate your employment for discriminatory reasons, in breach of your contract of employment, or in retaliation for you exercising your employee rights. Arizona employers cannot discriminate based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, pregnancy, disability, sex, marital status, sickle cell trait, age, or AIDS/HIV.
The Arizona Civil Rights Division was created as an aspect of the Attorney General’s Office to enforce civil rights laws, increase public awareness of civil rights, to offer dispute resolution services, and to provide community services throughout the state.
The main duty of the division is to enforce state laws that prohibit discrimination in the workplace, public accommodations, voting, disability, and housing by investigating any complaints that are filed regarding those situations.
Arizona termination regulations indicate that you cannot be terminated if it is because you are discriminated against, for any medical conditions of the employee, or if you are acting within your legal rights and public policy issues.
Wrongful termination can also occur if there is a contract between the employer and the employee and it is proven that the termination procedures indicated within that agreement are violated.
Suing For Wrongful Termination
If you have been the victim of wrongful termination in Arizona, you can file a lawsuit against your employer to recover compensation for your damages, which will include lost wages and benefits.
You will need to keep track of every bit of communication involved with your termination, which will include all correspondence with your employer and be sure to document everything that is said along with who said it and the date and time of the discussion.
Evidence is the key to a successful wrongful termination claim. You will need emails, memos, texts, employment contracts, employee handbooks, photos, videos, and witness statements, or anything that is applicable to your claim and that confirms that you were the victim of wrongful termination and that your employer violated the law when you were dismissed from your position.
Sometimes such behavior is part of a pattern, and you may be able to prove that others have also suffered such treatment from your employer.
If you have been wrongfully terminated, you will need to add up your damages. This will include lost wages and lost benefits, such as medical, dental, and vision insurance and retirement plans.
Also, you may have added medical costs because you may have lost your medical insurance coverage and then you had to seek medical care that costs you more out of pocket because you lacked the coverage to take care of your treatment.
When you are hired for a job, you should start a paper trail. Always keep all work correspondence, including copies of timecards, paystubs, and memos or messages.
The more evidence that you have that will support your claim, the more likely you are to succeed with your claim against your employer. Wrongful termination can be very stressful and cause a financial hardship that affects your entire family.
Get Help Today
You do have limited time to pursue a wrongful termination claim in Arizona. Do not wait too long to file your claim. Your chances of a successful claim will improve when you enlist the help of an employment law attorney.
Some employment law attorneys take cases on a contingency basis, so they are not paid until you win your claim. Other lawyers will require a retainer to be paid in advance. Go over the payment plans with your lawyer.
An attorney will investigate your claim and gather supporting documentation. Act promptly, so you can make sure your rights are protected. Fill out a Free Evaluation Form today, so you can determine how to proceed.
