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What is wrongful termination?

Even though Massachusetts is an at-will employment state, there are some exceptions.  A wrongful termination is one that is motivated by any of the unlawful reasons for firing an employee.  These include:
  • Discrimination based on your membership in a protected class.  Protected classes include race, gender, national original, disability, sexual orientation, and more.
  • Retaliation for protected activity.  Protected activity includes taking federal or state family medical leave, filing for workers compensation, or objecting to or complaining about wage and hour violations or discrimination or sexual harassment.  There are other protections specific to certain kinds of workplaces.  For example, there is a statute that protects health care workers from retaliation for reporting violations, and another that protects public employees from complaining about or refusing to engage in unlawful activities.
  • Minority shareholder freeze-outs: If you are both an employee and a minority owner of a closely held company, firing you without a good reason could be unlawful as a breach of fiduciary duty.
It can be difficult to tell what motivated a termination, and whether it really was based on one of these unlawful reasons.  If you think you may have a claim, it is important to speak to an employment attorney as soon as possible. 
Learn more here about employment termination in Massachusetts.

Need Help With a Wrongful Termination?

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Copyright 2022, slnlaw
  • Home
  • Employment Law
    • Guide To Employment Law Content
    • Employment Contracts in Massachusetts
    • Discrimination in the Workplace
    • Employment Termination >
      • Massachusetts Paid Family Leave
      • Severance Pay
      • Unemployment in Massachusetts
    • Sexual Harassment at Work >
      • Sexual Harassment in a Small Business
      • Sexual Harassment and Non Disclosure Agreements
      • Sexual Harassment and Remote Work
    • Wage and Hour Laws
    • Independent Contractor Law
    • Non Compete Agreements >
      • Are non competes enforceable
      • Massachusetts Non Compete Act
      • Pre 2018 Massachusetts Non Competes
  • Estate Planning
    • Guide To Estate Planning Content
    • Legacy Protection
    • Why You Need an Estate Plan
    • Why You Don't Have an Estate Plan
    • Estate Planning Documents >
      • Children with Special Needs
    • Planning for Assisted Living
    • Probate Process
  • Business Law
    • Guide To Business Law Content
    • Small Business Law
    • Business Contract Basics
    • Civil Suit Defense
    • Legal Issues for Start Ups
    • Trademark Basics
    • How to Incorporate
    • Sale of Business
  • About
    • Reviews
    • Slnlaw Offices
    • slnlaw core values
    • Publications and Interviews
    • New Client Intake and Consultation
    • Contact
  • Attorneys
    • Emily Smith-Lee >
      • 2018 Lawyer of the Year
    • Jenna Ordway
    • Rebecca Rogers
    • Andrew Silvia
    • Elijah Bresley
  • Legal FAQs
    • Estate Planning FAQs
    • Probate FAQs
    • Small Business FAQs
    • Wage Act FAQs
    • Commission Pay FAQs
    • Overtime FAQs
    • Independent Contractor FAQs
    • Non Compete FAQs
    • Employment Discrimination FAQs
    • Employment Termination FAQs
    • Massachusettts Unemployment FAQs
    • Severance Package FAQs
    • Medical Leave FAQs
    • Sexual Harassment FAQs
    • Employer FAQs
    • Civil Lawsuit FAQs
  • Blog