Wrongful terminations affect workers whose releases from work are unjustified. A worker who has suffered a wrongful termination is a victim of an unlawful employment practice. In Kentucky and throughout the country, wrongful terminations can be grounded in a variety of unjust practices.
The protected status of whistleblowers
One way that a worker may be targeted for a wrongful termination is through their status as a whistleblower. A whistleblower is an individual who learns of or sees wrongful or illegal conduct being undertaken by their employer and reports it to the proper government authority. When a worker engages in this action, their employer cannot retaliate against them because they have a protected status.
Retaliation can take on many forms, from losses of job responsibilities to terminations. When a whistleblower loses their job, they may have a claim for wrongful termination based on their protected status and the actions of their employer.
Steps to take following a whistleblower firing
It is important that whistleblower victims of wrongful terminations talk to employment law attorneys as soon as possible to protect their rights and options for seeking relief. Once a worker has been fired from their job, there may be a window of time in which they can pursue legal recourse to seek compensation or reinstatement. Workers who report the wrongful and illegal actions of their employers may not be let go due to the retaliatory practices of their employers.
Whistleblowers provide a service to their communities by keeping their employers accountable and in compliance with local, state, and federal laws. They should not suffer the abusive and retaliatory actions of employers whose wrongful actions they have brought into the light. This post is provided as information only. Readers should not rely on its contents as legal guidance.