New York workers may consider lawsuits after wrongful firings

On Behalf of | Jul 8, 2014 | Wrongful Termination

New York workers may be interested to learn about a New Jersey woman who decided to sue her ex-employer after she was terminated in November 2012. According to reports, the woman believes that she was fired for an illegal reason after she returned from a medical leave.

The woman suffered from serious depression and anxiety to the extent that she couldn’t drive in rush-hour traffic conditions. She initially asked for shorter work hours to accommodate her medical condition, but she claims that her employer only granted her such rights for a brief period before relegating her to a lower job position and giving her an unfavorable review. She was later fired, and she now seeks to recover some of the wages and benefits she sacrificed as a result of the incident.

The woman’s former employer refused to discuss the case with news sources, but a law school professor noted that she might have a viable case, saying that the firm’s actions would be questionable if the woman’s performance after her medical leave could be demonstrated to have been of comparable quality to the work she did before. It’s also known that her termination came after she filed a formal complaint contesting her demotion to clerical work.

Wrongful termination proceedings can be tricky. Those who believe that they’ve been fired unfairly may find it difficult to file suit against firms that have legal teams and financial resources unless they have a clear plan, and the fiscal stress associated with being fired can make it hard to manage a case alone. Employees who feel they’re being treated improperly may wish to discuss these matters with an employment law attorney even if they haven’t yet been terminated.

Source: The Huffington Post, “New Jersey Woman Sues Former Employer After Rush-Hour Traffic Schedule Request“, Ryan Grenoble, June 30, 2014

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