Legal Protections for At-Will Employees

Ohio is an at-will employment state. What this means is that the relationship between the employer and the employee may be terminated, by either party, at any time. Unless, of course, there is a contract or law that states this termination is not legal.

At-will employees do have certain legal protections under the law. If you were an at-will employee in Ohio and you believe you were illegally terminated, talk to Columbus employment attorneys. Our experienced lawyers will be able to tell you if your firing broke any laws.

When An Employee Is Called for Jury Duty

According to the law in Ohio (OH Rev. Code Sec. 2313.19), it is illegal for an employer to fire an employee, discipline an employee, or threaten to terminate any permanent employee who has been called for jury duty. This is true as long as an employee supplies their employer with a sensible amount of notice. Tell your employer if you have been called for jury duty right away. Then, you can be absent from your job during jury duty service.

Similarly, it is illegal for an employer to say you need to use your own time off—vacation time, sick leave, or other paid time off perks—for the time you spend doing your civic duty and serving on a jury. If you have been summoned for jury duty in Ohio and are unclear on how this impacts your job and your relationship with your employer, discuss the situation with our Columbus employment attorneys.

Other Times When Termination Is Illegal

When there is a contractual breach or an anti-discrimination law is broken, the employment termination could be illegal.

Contract employees have agreements that state terms of employment, so they are different than at-will employees. In those instances, the agreement terms are clearly stated in the contract. An employer cannot terminate for reasons outside of the agreement, that would violate the contract and is illegal.

It is also illegal to fire an individual on the basis of the person’s gender, race, religion, ethnic background, or disability. Terminating employment in response to an individual filing a legal complaint is also against the law. With our attorneys on your side you can determine if you have been the victim of wrongful termination.

The majority of employees in the State of Ohio are at-will employees. That said, there are laws to protect every worker. If you feel you were discharged but the termination was illegal, contact our attorneys. Lawyers who are experienced in employment law can tell you if the firing was illegal.

Were terminated when you were called for jury duty? Or, were you fired because your employer discriminated against you? The lawyers at Coffman Legal LLC know how to protect employees. Our attorneys are advocates for all Ohio workers. Contact us today to further discuss your employment claim. We can provide you with the answers you need and can help you secure the compensation that you deserve. Call 614-949-1181 for a free and confidential consultation.