Oxnard Wrongful Termination Lawyers

Representation For Oxnard & Ventura

Losing a job, working in a hostile environment or working with the fear of losing your job can have an extremely negative effect on every aspect of your life. At The Schurmer Firm we understand the power imbalance the often exists in the workplace and are committed to helping employees resolve the current conflict, obtain the compensation they are entitled to and move forward with their lives.

If you or a loved one has been wrongfully terminated or you have questions about what conduct is acceptable in the workplace, we encourage you to take a look at the information we have provided here and contacts us with your questions.

Were you wrongfully terminated from your job? Call the Oxnard wrongful termination attorney at (805) 470-1628 or contact us online today!

Protected Classes in Employment Cases

Many wrongful termination and other employment cases hinge on whether or not the employers conduct was based on the employee’s status as a member of a protected class. Employers are not allowed to discriminate against an employee because of his/her:

At Will Contracts

Many Californians are under the mistaken belief that their employer can terminate their employment for any reason or no reason at all, if their employment agreement was an “at will” agreement. While it is true that “at will” employment agreements allow for more flexibility than other employment contracts, your employer is not allowed to fire you for any illegal reasons, regardless of the language of the contract. At The Schurmer Firm we have represented clients who have been fired under “at will” employment agreements where the real motive for the termination was the employee’s status as a member of a protected class.

Proving illegal or wrongful termination cases rarely comes down to specific statements or admissions by an employer that the employee was fired because of his religion, gender or other protected characteristic (although that happens on occasion). Most wrongful termination cases are supported by small bits of evidence, which when taken as a whole, form a picture of discrimination and illegal conduct. Our talented attorneys will fully investigate the circumstances surrounding your termination and can often build a persuasive case based on these pieces of evidence.

Hostile Work Environments and Constructive Termination

At The Schurmer Firm we often receive calls from people who are working in unpleasant or terrible work environments who are looking to pursue a claim against their employer. Unfortunately, in California the law doesn’t require employers to provide enjoyable, supportive or positive work environments. Surprisingly, the law doesn’t even require employers to treat each of their employees equally, which means that being singled out by a negative boss for no apparent reason isn’t enough to support an employment claim.

In order to bring an action against an employer, the employee must prove they were working in a hostile work environment. A hostile work environment under the law is a work environment that is unbearable to work in because a boss, supervisor, manager or other individual is treating the employee differently because they are a member of a protected class.

Can I Quit My Job Because it is a Hostile Work Environment?

We generally advise against quitting a job because of a hostile work environment. Sometimes the environment is just too unbearable and an employee must quit in order to preserve his/her mental and physical health. In cases where the work environment becomes so hostile that the employee must quit, he or she may be able to bring a case against the employer for constructive termination and may proceed with the case as if he/she had been terminated.