Harrisburg, PA, has a pleasant reputation. It’s fairly small, and it has that small-town feel. You won’t get that in larger cities in Pennsylvania, like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
You might enjoy living and working there. Maybe you’re raising a family and living in the suburbs. Home costs there are not too crazy, which makes this city an attractive prospect in 2023, with housing prices skyrocketing.
You might like your job or tolerate it and get your paycheck. You use the money for childcare, grocery bills, mortgage payments, and other necessities.
Your boss suddenly terminates you, though. You may feel shocked if you didn’t expect that termination. The suddenness might bother you, along with the loss of income.
What can you do about it? You might hire a lawyer or at least consult one. Experienced lawyers can assist Harrisburg workers following termination, so having a consultation makes sense in the days after your abrupt dismissal. Let’s discuss some questions that you might ask.
Can I Do Anything if My Boss Terminated Me Without Cause?
Naturally, you would ask this question. If you did your job well, or at least, you think you did; you may wonder whether your boss can terminate you if you did nothing wrong.
With certain exceptions, your boss can terminate you whenever they like, and your lawyer will tell you so. That’s because Pennsylvania has a work status called at-will employment. Some states have it, while others do not.
It means that a boss can terminate a worker at any time, with certain exceptions. Assuming those exceptions do not apply, your boss does not need some particular reason, like gross incompetence, before terminating your employment.
That might not seem fair, but it’s the law. You would doubtless appreciate the advanced notice, but if your employer decides they’re moving forward, they can terminate your employment on the spot with virtually no warning.
Can I Collect Unemployment?
Let’s assume for a moment that you did nothing wrong, and your boss terminated you. You describe to a lawyer what happened, and they say it sounds like you can’t sue your boss for wrongful termination.
You might naturally wonder whether you can get unemployment while you start job hunting. You can, in some instances, but you must meet the following criteria.
You must work at that company for a certain designated time before your boss terminates you. If you work there for a few days, that probably does not qualify.
Your boss must terminate you through nothing wrong that you did. In other words, you can’t collect unemployment if your boss fires you because you destroyed valuable equipment or merchandise.
Finally, you can only collect unemployment if you put a certain amount into the state’s unemployment fund. If you’ve worked various jobs for years, you should probably qualify.
Your lawyer can look into all this. If you qualify, then they can help you apply. You’ll need that money while job hunting, so get an experienced attorney. Also, they can help you appeal if, for any reason, the state turns you down.
Can I Sue My Employer?
Earlier, we mentioned how, in some instances, your employer couldn’t terminate you, even in an at-will employment state like Pennsylvania. If you believe they terminated you for discriminatory reasons, you can sue them since that’s an illegal firing.
Terminating you for your sexuality would constitute an illegal termination. Terminating you for your religion would apply as well. Terminating you for your gender, race, or anything else along those lines should qualify.
However, remember that you might suspect your employer terminated you for this reason, but to bring a successful lawsuit, you must prove it. That’s not always easy.
If your employer exchanged derogatory text messages about you with other workers, and you can show the court those texts, you can probably win your case and collect damages. If your lawyer subpoenas other employees, and they say they heard their boss mentioning your age, race, sexuality, etc., in a derogatory way, you can probably win.
Do Other Situations Exist Where My Boss Can’t Legally Fire Me?
Maybe you know that your boss didn’t fire you for a discriminatory reason like the ones we’ve mentioned. At least, they never said or did anything indicating that. Perhaps they fire you because you attend jury duty or have other civic obligations.
Maybe you’re doing inventory at the store, and your employer demands that all employees come in and help. You know the boss needs you, but you have jury duty, so you can’t do it.
If your boss texts you that they’re terminating you because you did not show up as they demanded, they can’t legally do that. If you show the jury that text message at trial, you should easily win that case and collect some damages.
Your boss also can’t legally fire you if you have a contract stipulating you will work there for a certain time. Maybe you signed a three-year contract, and it’s only year two at the moment.
Your boss might buy you out if they offer your remaining salary, but they can’t terminate you because the business isn’t doing so well. If you have an ironclad contract, you can use that in court if you sue your boss. You should win that lawsuit pretty easily as well.
You may have some additional employment-related questions if you’re a Harrisburg resident and your boss terminates you. This action might shock you, but if you know your options, you can move forward and figure out the best possible action.
A skilled lawyer will know all about the laws we mentioned. If they’ve won cases against employers who illegally terminated workers in the past, then so much the better. You can feel sure they will lay out all your options and advise you regarding which one makes the most sense.
