A national magazine recently recognized Homewood as one of the most “liveable” Chicagoland suburbs. This recognition did not come by accident. Since its beginnings in the early 1900s, Homewood has been a place where people live quietly and work hard. Few things go against these basic values more than sudden wrongful termination.
Many of these victims feel they have nowhere to turn and few legal options. The Homewood wrongful termination attorneys at the Law Office of Mitchell Kline provide both these things. After we assess your case, we give you solid legal advice. Then, we lay out all your legal options, so you can make the best possible choice.
Illinois’ at-will employment law largely does not apply to workers in protected classes. The at-will law states that employers can generally fire workers for good reason, a bad reason, or no reason at all. However, employers cannot base decisions on illegal reasons.
Relevant decisions include not only hiring and firing but also promotion/demotion, assignment/reassignment, and almost any other decision bosses make. Protected characteristics in Illinois include:
In a controversial move, the Supreme Court recently expanded the sex protected class to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
Homewood is one of the most diverse Chicagoland suburbs. As a result, almost every worker in this village is probably in at least one protected class.
The Homewood wrongful termination attorneys at the Law Office of Mitchell Kline often represent individuals or small groups of employee victims. Single-action claims give victims almost complete control of the case. Additionally, our constant lobbying efforts have largely removed most procedural hurdles.
If an employer terminates a protected class employee, that termination was presumptively illegal. As a result, these victims are usually entitled to substantial financial compensation.
Many times, an individual discrimination case is the tip of the iceberg. If the employer wrongfully terminated one worker on one occasion, there are probably other victims. Class action claims effectively combat this kind of widespread wrongdoing.
The Homewood wrongful termination attorneys at the Law Office of Mitchell Kline also handle class action matters. We approach them with the same diligence we show in individual action claims.
The mindset of a class action claim is different. The outcome is more about justice than financial compensation. Individual settlements often include nondisclosure agreements. Class action settlements are normally public records.
Generally, one or two class-action plaintiffs speak for all other victims who endured similar wrongful terminations. So, practices that the employer tried to keep in the dark are brought into the light. Employers who might ignore individual settlements usually change their ways following a large class action case.
If you were in a protected class, your termination was probably illegal. For a free consultation with an experienced Homewood wrongful termination attorney, contact the Law Office of Mitchell A. Kline. After-hours visits are available.
