Job Advice

Was Your Termination An Act of Discrimination?

A job termination can be a terribly stressful time in your life. However, if you believe you were terminated as an act of discrimination, then you should realize that you have options available to you.

What is Discrimination?

Discrimination is the unjust treatment of groups of people usually based on race, age or sex. Discrimination can come in many forms. It is usually categorized by unfair rules or actions against one group, when the same rule or action does not apply to others.

Are You A Minority?

One of the first questions you must determine would be did you fall into a minority group within your job environment? This could include a minority gender group, whether male, female or others, a minority race group, a minority orientation group, a minority religious group and even other categories. When you are have a differentiating factor that sets you apart from the others in the work environment, you can be at risk for discrimination. It is important to note that not all minorities are automatically going to be victims of discrimination, but it does put you at greater risk.

Were The Grounds of Termination Clear?

The grounds of termination should have been clearly set forth to you upon your termination. If these reasons were not clearly articulated to you, it could be because you were being terminated for less than ethical reasons. You can go back and check your employment handbooks. You should have been given information concerning company policy on many different aspects of the company upon being hired. These documents can be very beneficial now so that you can check and see if policy was being followed in your termination.

Have Others Been Fired For This Reason?

If you were fired for something that is not clearly outlined in company policy, or if you have witnessed others going unpunished for the same thing that you were fired for, then you might have been terminated due to discrimination. You do have rights according to the law.

If you feel that you have been terminated due to discrimination, you can discuss the issue with a lawyer. They can help advise you whether or not your termination was legal.