Standing up for what is right can be difficult for an Oregon worker, especially when doing so goes against the practices or preferences of their employer. In some situations, workers find that their employers are engaged in wrongful practices or are breaking the regulations and laws that govern their operations. When a worker stands up and points out those problems to the proper authorities, they may suffer retaliation at work.
This informational legal post will discuss retaliation in the workplace and how it can result in wrongful terminations. As with all other posts on this employment law blog, readers are reminded that no legal advice is conveyed herein. When a worker has concerns about retaliation and wrongful termination, they should take their questions to their trusted employment lawyers for help and representation with their possible claims.
What Is Retaliation?
Retaliation is a wrongful employment practice. It happens when a worker is punished by their employer for doing the right thing. For example, a worker who reports their employer for illegally dumping toxic chemicals into a river may be demoted or fired in retaliation for exposing the wrongful practices of their company.
Retaliation is a wrongful punishment. It is a sanction without justification. In some cases, workers who learn of wrongful or illegal practices of their employers can be protected from retaliation by whistleblower laws. Those who fall into this category can speak with their attorneys about their rights and protections.
Addressing Wrongful Terminations From Retaliation
As mentioned, retaliation can result in a worker losing their job for standing up and doing what was right. Being fired for a wrongful reason makes a termination wrongful, and workers who lose their jobs for wrongful reasons often have legal options for seeking compensation and recourse from the harm they suffered.
Building a case for a wrongful termination based on retaliation can be challenging, and different federal and state laws may apply to individual workers’ claims. To best prepare for one’s wrongful termination based on a retaliation case, a worker can find an employment law attorney they trust to advise and represent them on their pending legal matters.