Can I hold my employer accountable?
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Can I hold my employer accountable?
I left a good paying job because
another company offered me a 20
salary increase. I accepted the
offer and after two weeks they
terminated me because the company
came under new legal issues. I was
told my termination had nothing to
do with my job performance. Can I
hold them accountable for their
actions?
Asked on April 20, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, Illinois
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
You most likely cannot hold them accountable, unless you had a written employment contract for a definite time or period (e.g. a one-year contract) which they violated. In the absence of a contract, all employment is "employment at will," and an employee at will may be terminated at any time, for any reason, even reasons unrelated to their own job performance, without recourse. Just as your former employer could have terminated for, say, legal issues unrelated to your performance, so could your new employer.
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