Arizona is one of the 14 states that have no implied-in-fact contract exception to the employment-at-will rule but it does recognize an implied-at-law contract as an exception. Being employed at-will means that a written employment agreement/contract cannot guarantee your employment and your employer may terminate you at any time, with or without a reason or prior notice. However, when the cause is unlawful because it violates a statute of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or the Arizona Constitution, then the employee can file a wrongful termination claim.
If you believe that you were wrongfully terminated by your former employer in Phoenix, AZ, the first thing you need to do is to consult with a competent and experienced wrongful termination attorney in Phoenix AZ to see if you have the right to take legal action against your former employer. The Phoenix employment law attorney that you discuss with will expertly review your case and explain the options available to obtain the most favorable outcome for you. Keep in mind that in Arizona, you must file a wrongful termination claim within 1 year ( the statute of limitations period).
The most common situations that indicate you have a wrongful termination case and you can file a lawsuit against your former employer include:
- Discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, age, disability, nationality, and religion
- Wage and hour dispute ( if you’ve filed a wage & hour complaint due to inadequate compensation and you were terminated during the dispute)
- OSHA complaint ( you were fired due to a claim filed with Occupational Safety and Health Administration for an unsafe work environment)
- Taking qualified time off ( e.g. to serve in the military, serve on a jury, care for a newborn, care for a sick family member, recover from an illness, etc.)
- Retaliation situations ( e.g. you’ve filed a whistleblower claim with the government, testified against the employer, filed a claim for workplace discrimination, etc).
An attorney that specializes in wrongful termination Phoenix, AZ and beyond will first need to assess the merits of your case during a free initial consultation. If you live in Phoenix, AZ and you were terminated due to an illegal reason, be sure to get in touch with Enara Law by phone at 602-687-2010 or via the online contact form on enaralaw .com to set up a confidential and free consultation with a seasoned wrongful termination attorney in Phoenix AZ for a free case evaluation and free legal advice. You will see if you are entitled to recover damages, including lost wages, contractual damages, attorney’s fees, compensation for emotional distress, pain and suffering, and even punitive damages, and how you can get fair compensation.