Your employer does not need to have a reason to fire you, unless the reason is considered illegal under wrongful termination laws in Massachusetts.
Like most states, Massachusetts operates under the at-will employment doctrine, which allows both employers and employees to break employment relationships at any time and for any legal reason.
If you feel your employer fired you for an unlawful reason, one of the wrongful termination laws in Massachusetts can help you fight back.
What is the Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Act?
Modeled after a historically significant federal law, the Massachusetts Employment Practices Act forbids discrimination based on several factors, such as race, gender, disability, and religious beliefs.
Your employer also cannot discriminate against you because of genetic information and sexual orientation. You have a limited amount of time to file a wrongful discrimination complaint that is no more than 300 days after the date when your employer unlawfully terminated the employment relationship.
The Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Act applies to all employers that have at least six employees. Unlike most states, anti-discrimination statutes in Massachusetts apply to both private and public sector employers.
Many states have established different processes for filing wrongful termination complaints for public and private sector workers.
What Other Laws Protect Massachusetts Workers From Wrongful Termination?
The push for anti-discrimination laws in Massachusetts stems from the legal principle called at-will employment. Typically described in an employee handbook, at-will employment means neither an employer nor employee have to provide the other party with a notice to terminate an employment relationship. Both parties can end an employment relationship at any time, for any legal reason.
Because of the at-will employment doctrine, the United States Congress passed the ground-breaking Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
According to Title VII, employers cannot fire workers for discriminatory reasons, such as for race, gender, national origin, and religious beliefs. In 1978, Congress added discrimination protections for women by enacting the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.
Who Oversees MA Wrongful Termination Laws?
You have the option to file a wrongful termination complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
To file a wrongful termination complaint at the state level, determine where the nearest MCAD office is located. When you meet with an intake worker at the MCAD office, be prepared to answer questions, as well as provide a detailed account of the illegal actions taken by your former employer. Before you meet with an MCAD intake worker, verify the office hours by calling 617-994-6000.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the State of Massachusetts might have temporarily closed offices or dramatically changed the hours of operation.
If you decide to pursue legal action against your former employer, you can remove your complaint with the EEOC and MCAD, and then file a civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages.
The types of monetary damages you can receive include back pay and compensation to cover the costs associated with diagnosing and treating any mental and emotional issues that have developed because of the illegal termination.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation
By working with an employment lawyer, you receive support for filing a persuasive complaint with either the MCAD or EEOC. Many states have formed an information-sharing relationship with the EEOC.
Your employment attorney will let you know if that is the case for Massachusetts. For the first meeting, bring along evidence such as the results of your performance reviews and any digital proof that your former employer discriminated against you.
Schedule a free case evaluation today to fight back against wrongful termination.
