Termination is one of the most stressful experiences a person can face in the workplace. The severe emotional distress that follows a sudden, life-changing experience can have lasting consequences on the person’s quality of life. Fortunately, people who believe they’ve been wrongfully terminated do have options for seeking relief and restitution.
Take Notes About Everything
Don’t let the initial shock of a sudden termination stop you from protecting yourself. If you believe you’ve been wrongfully terminated, you need to start taking notes immediately. Try to be as accurate and honest as possible as you document conversations, actions, and attitudes demonstrated by everyone involved. Note as many details as possible, particularly dates, numbers, and specific quotes.
Seek Legal Counsel
The next step is to find a wrongful termination attorney to provide legal counsel. An attorney can provide guidance based on your unique situation. They can also be invaluable for providing a calm, collected, and orderly plan of action for disputing the claim. Your attorney should be able to advise you through each step of the process so don’t strike out on your own without talking to your legal counsel first.
Gather Witnesses and Testimony
Typically, the next step in a termination dispute is to identify witnesses and testimony that can hold up in court. Documentation from a licensed doctor or therapist is key to proving the level of emotional distress caused by the incident. Testimonies from witnesses of the termination, or perhaps inappropriate conduct in the workplace in general, are also valuable for supporting the argument.
Collect and Organize Evidence
You should keep all records of communication regarding the termination until the court date. Be sure to save them or even print them out to be safe. This includes any emails, text messages, or voice mails related to the incident or that could prove a hostile work environment. Don’t worry about collecting too much evidence. Your attorney can always cut unnecessary bits if they think it’s too much.
Don’t Discuss the Case
Avoid discussing the case as much as possible, particularly with coworkers and other people connected to your employer. You should only talk about the details of your dispute with your attorney and with potential witnesses as your attorney advises. Even a few casual remarks can be taken out of context and used against your claim in court.
Disputing wrongful termination may keep the painful experience alive a bit longer, but a successful claim is worth the struggle. Proving that you were wrongfully terminated can open up opportunities for compensation for your distress and give you more confidence moving forward.
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