Kane County Workplace Discrimination Attorney

Job Discrimination Lawyers Fight For Clients in Kendall County, IL

For most people, their employment is their main source of income and an important part of their lives. When your employer fires you, it can be difficult to handle the resulting emotional and financial stress. You may feel that you were unfairly terminated, especially if you worked with your employer for a long time. While the law does prohibit wrongful termination, you may not have the protection you think. There is an important distinction between wrongful termination and lawful firing. Even if you feel your firing was unfair, your employer may not have broken the law. Determining whether you are the victim of wrongful termination can be complicated, and will depend on the facts in your case. Read below for more information about your rights against wrongful termination.

At-Will Employment

Illinois is an at-will employment state. What does this mean for you? Under state law, employers generally do not have to have good cause to fire an employee. In fact, your employer usually does not need any reason to fire you. Unfortunately, this means that employers can legally fire productive, loyal, and otherwise good workers just because they want to.

However, there are some exceptions to this law. State and federal employment discrimination laws prohibit firing or demoting employees due to their race, age, religion, etc. Federal laws protect specific classes of people, which are based on certain characteristics, including:

• Race/color;
• Religion;
• Pregnancy;
• Genetic information;
• Age;
• Sex/gender;
• Disability; and
• National origin.

Illinois law adds discrimination protection based on:

• Marital status;
• Order of protection status;
• Sexual orientation;
• Unfavorable military discharge; and
• Arrest record.

If you are a member of one of these protected classes, your employer cannot fire or demote you solely because of that status. If he or she does so, that may qualify as wrongful termination. It can be difficult to prove your employer’s discrimination. So, it is important to contact a lawyer right away if you think you were wrongfully terminated.

Time is of the Essence

Time is certainly of the essence in wrongful termination cases. You will need to file a discrimination complaint with either a state or federal agency, depending on which law was violated. A statute of limitations will apply, which means you must file your complaint within a specified time frame. Your lawyer can analyze your claim, and determine what the applicable statute of limitations may be.

Experienced Employment Lawyers in Kane County

At Ekker Law, P.C. / Steven B. Ekker, Esq., our skilled employment attorney understands the many difficulties you face under wrongful termination. Financial stresses are not the least of these worries, which is why we work hard on your behalf. Federal and state employment laws are quite complex, and complications may arise during your case. We are here to help, and will thoroughly explain your options along the way.