What Counts as Wrongful Termination?

If you believe you were terminated under unfair or illegal pretenses, you may have the right to pursue legal action. With the legal counsel of a wrongful termination attorney in Columbus, OH, you can determine if your employer violated a specific law or public policy that may entitle you to significant compensation.

Identifying Discriminatory Action With a Wrongful Termination Attorney in Columbus, OH 

Under Ohio and federal law, your employer cannot fire you based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, or military status. If you are terminated because of any of these protected characteristics, you may have a claim for wrongful termination. You do not need to prove that your employer openly admitted to bias. Instead, you can show evidence such as suspicious timing, unequal treatment compared to other employees, or comments that suggest prejudice.

Retaliation is another basis for a wrongful termination claim. If you report workplace harassment, file a discrimination complaint, or participate in a legal investigation, your employer cannot legally fire you as a result. Whistleblowers who report violations of law or safety regulations may also be protected under both state and federal statutes. We help you identify whether your termination followed protected activity and whether the employer’s stated reason was a pretext.

Violations of Employment Agreements and Policies

In the state of Ohio, employers have the right to terminate employees “at-will”, provided their reasons do not stand in violation of state or federal laws. That being said, even in situations where your employer appealed to this “at-will” policy, you may still be entitled to legal protections. Some employers also create enforceable promises through company handbooks, written policies, or verbal assurances. If your employer established a disciplinary procedure and failed to follow it, that may support a wrongful termination claim.

Another important factor is how performance evaluations and disciplinary records are handled. If your prior reviews were positive or lacked any documented concerns, your employer may have difficulty justifying termination for performance reasons. We closely examine your employment history, internal communications, and personnel file to identify inconsistencies in your correspondence.

Termination That Violates Public Policy

Ohio courts also recognize wrongful termination claims based on violations of public policy. If you were fired for refusing to commit an illegal act, reporting unlawful conduct, or exercising a legal right, such as taking family medical leave or filing for workers’ compensation, you may have grounds for a lawsuit. These cases do not always require a written contract or explicit law, but must involve a clear threat to public health and safety.

Wrongful termination in Ohio includes firings based on illegal discrimination, retaliation, contract violations, or breaches of public policy. Our job is to review the facts of your case; a task we take seriously to determine whether your employer broke the law when ending your employment. Schedule a consultation with us today at Nilges Draher Law in Columbus, OH, to pursue the necessary legal action to hold your employer accountable. 

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