Wrongful Termination

Pennsylvania is an at-will employment state. In plain terms, an employer can usually let you go for a bad reason or no reason at all. What an employer cannot do is fire you for a reason the law forbids. When that happens, you may have a wrongful termination case even without a written contract.

What Counts as Wrongful Termination in Pennsylvania

The main illegal reasons include:

• Firing you because of a protected trait such as race, sex, age over 40, religion, national origin or disability
• Firing you for reporting discrimination, harassment, wage violations or unsafe conditions
• Firing you for taking protected medical leave under the FMLA
• Firing you for filing a workers’ compensation claim
• Firing you for refusing to break the law at your employer’s direction

Pennsylvania courts also recognize a public policy exception to at-will employment, and some handbooks and offer letters create commitments an employer has to honor.

Signs You May Have a Case

• You were fired shortly after complaining about discrimination or unpaid wages
• You were replaced by a substantially younger employee
• Your stated reason for termination keeps changing
• You were let go during or right after medical leave
• Coworkers who did the same things were treated differently

What To Do Now

1. Write down everything you remember about your termination while it is fresh
2. Ask for the reason for your termination in writing
3. Save copies of your handbook, offer letter, reviews and any write-ups
4. File for unemployment benefits, and answer the employer’s challenge honestly
5. Call an employment lawyer before signing anything the employer offers

Frequently Asked Questions

My employer says I was fired for performance. Is that the end of it?

No. Employers often give a paper reason that is not the real one. If the timeline shows you were fired after a protected complaint, after leave, or in a pattern that points at a protected trait, a false performance reason can actually strengthen your case.

Do I need a written contract to have a case?

Usually not. Most of our wrongful termination clients were at-will employees. The claims come from statutes and public policy, not from contracts.

This page describes the law in general terms. It is not legal advice for your specific situation, and deadlines can be short. Call the firm for a free evaluation of your case.