At some point in their lives, most people will find their employment terminated. This can sometimes be for a legal cause, such as underperforming or when budget changes mean the job is no longer needed or a business has to close, but many people do find themselves wrongfully terminated. These laws change all over the US, so it’s a good idea to look for a lawyer local to Kansas City, MO. In this article, we will discuss how to choose the best wrongful termination attorney for your case.
How to Choose the Best Wrongful Termination Attorney for Your Case
Wrongful termination  – or wrongful dismissal – is when your employer has terminated your working contract without any legal justification for it. There are many legal reasons why your employment might be terminated, so you should discuss with an attorney whether or not your dismissal was justified or wrongful.
Wrongful termination covers a wide range of topics, such as whether your dismissal goes against the terms of your contract or whether it was racial or sexual discrimination. Because of this, you’ll need to find a lawyer who specializes in the field you need help with. For example, if it is a simple matter of contract law, you should find an attorney who specializes in contract law, whereas discrimination may require a different attorney.
Always Pick Your Lawyer Locally from Kansas City, MO
Because labor and discrimination laws are different in every US state, it’s always a good idea to find a lawyer who is local to where you live or work so they know exactly what your legal standing is. If you do a bit of searching around, you’ll soon find quality wrongful termination attorneys in Kansas City who have dealt with issues similar to yours before.
Asking your friends and family members can also be useful when looking for an attorney, especially if they have experienced wrongful termination. This will probably result in you finding a local professional who understands the complexities of contract and labor laws in your area.
Work Out What Case You Want To Build
Being wrongfully dismissed because of the color of your skin, your gender, or your sexual preference is a serious offense in Missouri and requires a lengthy legal process that will need to call upon evidence and eyewitnesses. Conversely, if the case you are trying to build is about the terms of your contract, this can be settled quite quickly and easily provided you still have access to your contract.
Because of this, it’s important to find a lawyer who has experience dealing with the issues that you have so they know exactly what they’re talking about, and you can rest assured your case will be settled in a way that suits you. If your contract was for “at-will employment,” you may find you have no legal grounds to file a case, as this form of contract means the employment can be terminated at any time by either the employee or employer.
What Does Your Employer Say?
To cover its back when a company knows it has unfairly dismissed someone, it will often make up many legally-backed reasons for your employment getting terminated. This will include pulling up days when you were late, sick, or underperforming. If the company can make a big enough case that you were legally dismissed, you will receive no compensation.
For this reason, you should always think about what your employers might say to a legal case turning up at their door. Some employers prefer to pay out of court so as not to blemish their reputation, whereas others may try to take you to court and fight hard to keep their money. If you feel your ex-employer may have some legal reasons to fire you, speak to your lawyer about where you think you’d stand before approaching the company with your case.
Statute of Limitations
Due to Statute of Limitations Laws in Missouri, discrimination cases only 180 days to be filed or the case will be considered lost. Other forms of wrongful termination may allow up to one year to be filed, however, these are still fairly short time limits. This is why it is so essential to start looking for a lawyer as soon as possible and hire an experienced attorney who can help to expedite the process before the case is dropped.
If you live in Kansas City, MO and you feel like you have been wrongfully dismissed, you may be in for a chance to win some compensation. But remember, if you are hiring a wrongful termination lawyer, then make sure they are local to your area and have experience in the issues you are facing. With these bases covered, you can approach your old employers with your case while full of confidence.