Fired for the Wrong Reason. We Make It Cost Them.
If your employer terminated you for discriminatory, retaliatory, or otherwise unlawful reasons, California law gives you powerful remedies. We pursue every one of them.
You may have a case if…
- ›You were fired shortly after reporting harassment, discrimination, or unsafe conditions.
- ›You were terminated after requesting medical leave, accommodations, or pregnancy leave.
- ›You were let go after disclosing a disability, age, race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.
- ›You were pressured to resign (constructive discharge) under intolerable conditions.
- ›You were terminated in violation of a written contract or implied employment agreement.
California is generally an at-will employment state — but at-will does not mean an employer can fire you for any reason. Federal and state law carve out powerful exceptions, and a termination that violates any of them is a wrongful termination.
Wrongful termination claims sit at the intersection of the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), the California Labor Code, common-law public policy, and contractual rights. Each path carries different procedural requirements, damages models, and proof burdens — and a knowledgeable plaintiff-side attorney is the difference between a nuisance settlement and full recovery.
Termination in Violation of FEHA
Under California's Fair Employment and Housing Act, employers with 5 or more employees cannot terminate someone because of a protected characteristic — race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, age (40+), or military/veteran status. We litigate FEHA claims directly in California Superior Court, where juries award lost wages, emotional distress damages, and punitive damages.
Retaliation for Protected Activity
California Labor Code §§ 1102.5, 6310, and 98.6 — plus FEHA's anti-retaliation provisions — prohibit termination because you complained about illegal conduct, refused to participate in illegal conduct, reported safety violations, or filed a wage claim. Retaliation cases often produce the largest recoveries because the employer's motive is documentable.
Termination in Violation of Public Policy
Tameny v. Atlantic Richfield established that California recognizes a common-law tort when an employer fires someone for reasons that violate a fundamental public policy — refusing to commit perjury, taking time off to vote, exercising a statutory right. These claims allow punitive damages.
Breach of Contract / Implied Contract
If you had a written employment agreement, an offer letter promising for-cause termination, or a long tenure with consistent performance reviews and assurances of continued employment, you may have contract-based claims that supplement statutory ones.
What you can recover
- •Lost wages (back pay) — the difference between what you would have earned and what you have earned since termination.
- •Future lost earnings (front pay) when reinstatement is impractical.
- •Lost benefits — health insurance, retirement contributions, equity, bonuses.
- •Emotional distress and mental anguish damages.
- •Punitive damages designed to punish and deter the employer.
- •Attorneys' fees and costs (recoverable under FEHA).
The process
Step 01
Confidential Case Review
We sit down with you, review your termination paperwork, employment file, communications, and timeline.
Step 02
Demand & Investigation
We send a litigation hold, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and prepare a comprehensive demand.
Step 03
Filing & Discovery
If pre-suit negotiations fail, we file in California Superior Court and pursue aggressive discovery — depositions, document production, expert disclosures.
Step 04
Resolution or Trial
Most cases resolve at mediation. The ones that don't, we try. Our willingness to take cases to verdict is what drives serious settlements.
Why Okojie Law
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a wrongful termination claim in California?+
FEHA claims generally require filing an administrative complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) within three years of the wrongful act, followed by a right-to-sue notice and a one-year window to file in court. Public-policy tort claims carry a two-year limitations period. Wage-related retaliation claims under Labor Code §98.6 typically require filing within one year. These deadlines are unforgiving — call us immediately.
Do I need a 'smoking gun' to win a wrongful termination case?+
No. Most wrongful termination cases are proven through circumstantial evidence — suspicious timing, shifting employer explanations, disparate treatment of similarly situated employees, statistical patterns, and witness testimony. A skilled plaintiff's attorney builds the case from inferences, documents, and depositions.
What if I signed a severance agreement?+
Severance agreements often contain releases of claims, but they are not always enforceable. They must comply with the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act if you are 40+, must provide adequate consideration, and cannot waive certain non-waivable rights. Have an attorney review any severance offer before signing.
Can I be fired for filing a workers' comp claim?+
No. California Labor Code §132a expressly prohibits retaliation for filing a workers' compensation claim. If you were fired in proximity to a comp claim, that is independently actionable.
How much does it cost to hire Okojie Law?+
Wrongful termination cases are taken on contingency. You pay nothing out of pocket. We are only paid if and when we recover for you.
Will my case go to trial?+
Most wrongful termination cases resolve through settlement, mediation, or arbitration before trial. But we prepare every case as if it will be tried. Employers and their insurers settle seriously only when they believe the plaintiff's lawyer is willing and able to try the case.
Tell us what happened.
Confidential. No obligation. We respond within one business day.