.svg)
What Makes a Termination Wrongful in Ohio?
Ohio is an "at-will" employment state, which means that most workers can be fired for almost any reason, or for no reason at all. But there are important exceptions that make some terminations illegal:
- You were fired for discriminatory reasons: Age (if you're over 40), race, gender, religion, national origin, disability, pregnancy, or sexual orientation. Even if your employer gives another reason, discrimination may be the real motive.
- You were fired in retaliation: This happens when you complain about illegal activity, file a workers' compensation claim, report safety violations, or assert your legal rights and are terminated or demoted in response.
- Your firing violated public policy: Ohio protects employees from termination who refuse to take actions that violate a clear public policy.
- Your employer breached your contract: While most workers are at-will, some have employment contracts or union agreements that may create binding promises.
How Coffman Employment Lawyers Investigates Your Case
We don't just look at why you were fired. Our comprehensive approach examines your entire employment history to identify potential violations and maximize your recovery:
- Complete Employment Analysis: We review your job duties, pay structure, hours worked, and classification status. Many "managers" may actually be entitled to overtime. Many "independent contractors" may really be employees with unpaid wage claims.
- Document Deep Dive: Your emails, performance reviews, payroll records, employee handbook, and company communications tell the real story. We know what to look for and how to get it.
- Pattern Recognition: After three combined decades representing workers, we can often spot illegal employer practices quickly. If it happened to you, it probably happened to others, and this means a potential class action claim.
- Investigation Network: We know which witnesses to interview, which documents to request, and how to build the strongest possible case before filing any claims.
Columbus Wrongful Termination Damages: What You Can Recover
Ohio and federal law provide multiple types of potential compensation for wrongful termination:
Economic Damages
- Back pay: wages from the termination date to the resolution
- Front pay: future lost earnings if you can't be reinstated
Emotional Distress Damages
- Compensation for medical treatment due to anxiety, depression, and emotional harm caused by the illegal termination
Punitive Damages
- Additional damages may be available as punishment for especially bad employer conduct
Attorney's Fees
- In many discrimination and retaliation cases, the employer pays your legal fees if you win.
Special Damages for Unpaid Wages Claims
- FLSA violations can include liquidated (2x) damages
- Three years of back wages for willful violations
What to Do Immediately After Wrongful Termination
- Document everything: Write down exactly what happened, when, and who was involved. Save all communications with your employer. Get contact information for witnesses.
- Don't sign anything: Severance agreements often include releases that waive your right to sue. Get a legal review before signing any employer documents.
- Apply for unemployment benefits: The process creates official records, and wrongful termination often means you'll receive benefits.
- Preserve evidence: Don't delete emails, texts, or social media posts related to your employment. Back up any work-related communications on your personal devices.
- Act quickly: Ohio and federal law have strict deadlines. Every day matters.
- Get experienced legal help: Employment law is complicated, and employers have a team of lawyers and investigators from day one fighting against you. You need an advocate who knows the system and fights exclusively for workers.
.avif)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.avif)
.avif)
%20(1).avif)
.avif)
