Las Vegas Wrongful Termination Lawyer
You gave years to your employer. You showed up, did your job, handled problems professionally. Then one day, it ended. Maybe the stated reason made no sense. Maybe there was no reason given at all. Maybe you know the real reason had nothing to do with performance and everything to do with something illegal. In Nevada’s at-will employment environment, many workers assume they have no recourse when fired unfairly. That assumption is often wrong. A Las Vegas wrongful termination lawyer at Lobo Law helps workers throughout Clark County hold employers accountable when firings cross the line from unfair to unlawful. We treat our clients like family and fight back against employers who think they can terminate workers for any reason without consequence.
Wrongful termination encompasses firings that violate anti-discrimination laws, breach contracts, punish protected activity, or violate public policy. Understanding which category applies and building a case that proves it requires experienced legal representation.
At-Will Employment and Its Exceptions
Nevada follows the employment at-will doctrine, meaning that absent a contract or legal prohibition, either the employer or employee can end the employment relationship at any time for any reason or no reason. This basic rule gives employers broad discretion and leads many fired workers to believe they have no legal options.
The exceptions to at-will employment are substantial. Employers cannot fire workers for discriminatory reasons based on protected characteristics including race, sex, age, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Employers cannot fire workers in retaliation for protected activities such as reporting discrimination, filing workers compensation claims, refusing illegal orders, or exercising other legal rights. Employers cannot fire workers in violation of public policy.
Employment contracts modify the at-will relationship when they exist. Written contracts may specify terms of employment, grounds for termination, or procedures that must be followed. Union contracts typically require just cause for termination.
Discriminatory Termination
Firing an employee because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics constitutes illegal discrimination regardless of at-will status.
Proving discriminatory termination usually requires circumstantial evidence. Employers rarely admit that protected characteristics motivated their decisions. Instead, they offer neutral explanations such as performance problems, restructuring, or policy violations. Challenging these explanations as pretextual is central to most wrongful termination cases.
Pretext means the stated reason is not the real reason. Evidence of pretext includes inconsistencies between the stated reason and the employer’s prior conduct, different treatment of similarly situated employees, timing that suggests the stated reason arose only after the decision to terminate, and statements by decision-makers revealing bias.
Retaliatory Termination
Employers who fire workers for engaging in protected activities commit illegal retaliation. Protected activities include reporting discrimination or harassment, filing workers compensation claims, reporting safety violations, refusing to participate in illegal conduct, taking FMLA leave, and requesting disability accommodations.
Retaliation claims require proving that the employee engaged in protected activity, the employer knew about it, the employer fired the employee, and a causal connection exists between the protected activity and the termination. Timing often provides critical evidence.
Public Policy Violations
Nevada recognizes a public policy exception to at-will employment. Employers cannot fire workers for reasons that violate clear public policies expressed in statutes or constitutional provisions.
Examples include firing employees for refusing to commit illegal acts, firing employees for performing legal duties like jury service, and firing employees for reporting illegal conduct by the employer.
Constructive Discharge
Constructive discharge occurs when an employer makes working conditions so intolerable that a reasonable person would feel compelled to resign. When employers force workers out through harassment, discrimination, or other misconduct rather than firing them directly, the resignation may be treated as a termination for legal purposes.
Proving constructive discharge requires showing that conditions were objectively intolerable, not merely unpleasant or disagreeable.
Damages in Wrongful Termination Cases
Back pay covers wages and benefits lost from the date of termination to the date of resolution. Front pay covers future lost earnings when reinstatement is not feasible. Compensatory damages for emotional distress address the psychological impact of wrongful termination. Punitive damages may be available in cases involving intentional discrimination or other egregious conduct. Attorney fees are recoverable under most employment statutes.
Las Vegas Wrongful Termination Lawyer FAQs
How do I know if my termination was wrongful?
Wrongful termination occurs when the firing violates specific legal protections, not merely when it feels unfair. If you were fired because of race, sex, age, disability, or other protected characteristics, it was wrongful. If you were fired for reporting misconduct or refusing illegal orders, it may be wrongful. Lobo Law evaluates the specific circumstances to determine whether viable claims exist.
What if my employer gave a false reason for firing me?
False reasons suggest that the real reason was something the employer does not want to admit, possibly something illegal. Evidence that the stated reason is untrue supports wrongful termination claims. Lobo Law investigates the circumstances of terminations to uncover what really happened.
Can I sue if I was forced to resign?
If working conditions became so intolerable that a reasonable person would have felt compelled to quit, you may have a constructive discharge claim. This treats the resignation as an effective termination. Factors include whether the employer deliberately created intolerable conditions and whether you gave the employer a reasonable opportunity to address problems before resigning.
How long do I have to file a wrongful termination claim?
Deadlines vary by claim type. Discrimination claims require filing with the EEOC or Nevada Equal Rights Commission within strict time limits. Other claims may have two-year statutes of limitations. Contacting an attorney promptly ensures all deadlines are met.
Serving Wrongfully Terminated Workers Throughout Las Vegas
Lobo Law represents workers wrongfully terminated from employers across Clark County and surrounding areas.
- Casino and Gaming Employees
- Hotel and Resort Workers
- Restaurant and Hospitality Staff
- Healthcare Professionals
- Retail Workers
- Construction Employees
- Office and Administrative Staff
- Transportation Workers
- Warehouse Employees
- Government Workers
- Education Professionals
- Financial Services Employees
Contact a Las Vegas Employment Termination Attorney
Losing a job affects every aspect of life. Bills pile up. Stress increases. Families suffer. When that job loss results from illegal conduct by an employer, workers deserve justice and compensation. Lobo Law pursues both with the aggressive advocacy that Attorney Adrian Lobo brings to every case. We understand what wrongful termination does to workers and their families, and we fight accordingly. If you believe you were wrongfully terminated from your job anywhere in Las Vegas, call 702-290-8998 for a confidential consultation. We evaluate wrongful termination claims and help workers understand their rights and options for fighting back against employers who crossed the line.
