If you have recently been fired or laid off and think your employer may have violated the law by letting you go, contact a Utah employment lawyer as soon as possible. Utah is generally an “at-will” employment state, meaning that an employee can usually be fired at any time for any reason, or even for no reason at all. However, there are several exceptions to the “at-will” employment rule, and an experienced Utah employment law attorney can explain your rights and determine whether or not you have a case.

In Utah, there are several different categories of wrongful termination:

• Discrimination: Under federal law, it is illegal to fire an employee based on their membership in a protected class. Under federal law, protected classes can include race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, religion, age, or disability. Utah law provides additional protection for sexual orientation and pregnancy.
• Breach of contract: If you have a written contract promising employment for a certain amount of time, you are not an “at-will” employee. If your employer fires you while you were fulfilling your obligations under the contract, you may have a breach of contract claim.
• Time off work: Federal law and Utah law protect employees who take time off work for military obligations, jury duty, voting, attending court with a minor child, and who take approved FMLA leave.
• Reporting illegal activity: Utah law provides protection for employees who report illegal conduct in the workplace.
• Participation in protected activities: Federal law and Utah law protect employees who report and participate in investigations of some state and federal law violations, including occupational safety complaints, wage and hour complaints, and employment discrimination complaints.

If you believe that you were fired for these reasons or in violation of any other applicable state or federal laws, it is important to speak with an experienced employment lawyer as soon as possible.

An experienced Utah employment lawyer can help identify potential violations that your employer committed in terminating your employment. Additionally, because these cases often have very short and strict time deadlines, a Utah employment law attorney will identify these deadlines and ensure that you do not miss any of these strict and unforgiving deadlines. If you have been wrongfully terminated in Utah, strict time deadlines may apply to your case. We recommend you contact one of our experienced Utah wrongful termination lawyers for a consultation.