Question: I was just fired from my job, what should I do?
Answer: The following may improve your situation or help any potential legal claims:
Do not sign any documents without speaking with an employment attorney first. If you have already been terminated, your former employer cannot force you to sign anything. The most your former employer can do is try to get you to sign a severance agreement. Most likely, this agreement promises you money in return for giving up any legal claims you may have. Your employer has had its legal counsel prepare these documents, at the least, you should have an employment lawyer review the documents.
You should ask about the reasons for your termination and, if possible, get the reason in writing. By requesting the reasons in writing, your employer may be more likely to respond in writing.
Make sure you keep a copy of any employment agreements you entered into and a copy of the proposed severance offer for the employment lawyer to review.
You should gather and keep any other relevant paperwork that is properly in your possession, including any employee handbook, written discipline or performance improvement plan, emails or text messages, complaints you submitted, participated in, or were the subject of, performance reviews, payroll records, documents showing changes to salary and job title, and any other documents that demonstrate your job performance
Resist the urge to take negative actions against the employer, such as destroying company property or contacting customers or competitors to share the employer’s confidential information.
Even if your social media is private, you should avoid posting anything online about your employer.
If you made complaints of potentially unlawful, harassing or discriminatory conduct, you should make sure to keep a copy of all documents that reflect such complaints, including emails, calendars that reflect the dates of such conversations, or notes.
Contact an employment lawyer if you were fired and you think:
I was wrongfully fired or my boss fired me for no good reason.
My manager is a racist and fired me because I am white/black/hispanic, etc.
My supervisor fired me because I did not respond to his advances or would not have sex with him.
I was let go because my new boss wanted a younger workforce.
My company fired me because I filed a workers’ compensation claim.
My company refused to hold my position when I was called up for active military service.
My boss fired me when I reported safety equipment violations to OSHA.
As soon as I told my company that I was pregnant, they fired me.
I was fired for reporting discrimination.
I was fired after I spoke to the EEOC and agreed that there was discrimination at my company.