Source: https://www.shouselaw.com/nevada/labor/wrongful-termination
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 23:22:00+00:00

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Three main bases for wrongful firing lawsuits in Nevada are retaliation, breach of contract, and discrimination.
Note that employers are also allowed to fire employees for seemingly frivolous reasons, such as an annoying laugh or political affiliation. Just because the reason for a firing may be unjust does not automatically mean it is illegal.
Employers may not fire employees just for being female (a "protected class").
Note that these laws do not apply to all employers. In Nevada, wrongful termination laws generally apply only to companies with 15 or more employees.4 Aggrieved workers should consult with a Nevada labor law attorney to determine whether they have a claim.
In many cases, employers manufacture bogus reasons for firing someone (pretexts) when the real reason is that they are prejudiced. Therefore, employees are advised to keep all their records and to document everything related to their case. The more evidence they have that discrimination played a role, the better chance that an employment attorney can prove that the employee was terminated unlawfully.
Sometimes bosses and their workers sign employment contracts that spell out the terms of the employment and imposes a duty of "good faith and fair dealing" on both parties to the contract.6 Depending on the case, these contracts can be written or oral. Some contracts are very specific, and others are very broad like collective bargaining agreements through a union.
If the employer fires the employee in a way that breaches the contract terms, then the employee may have a legal claim against the employer.
"Breach of contract" is a ground of unlawful termination claims.
Example: Rex was hired by a television station as a reporter. Rex signed a five-year contract that explicitly listed all the reasons the station could fire Rex earlier "for cause." But after two years, the firm fired Rex even though he committed no fireable offense. Rex may have a cause of action against the station for breaching the contract by firing him earlier than the five years.
Note that many workplaces have employee handbooks that explain the terms of employment, disciplinary procedures, probation periods, and firings. These handbooks often may serve as a basis for a wrongful firing case if the employer violated its terms.
Employers typically may not fire employees for whistleblowing.
Employers typically may not fire employees for refusing to work in unsafe conditions.
Example: Jack is a truck driver for a large Nevada company. Jack notices that his truck is smoking under the hood and that the wheels are not aligned. He tells his boss, who refuses to spend the money to service the truck. If Jack refuses to work, it would probably be illegal for the boss to fire him because driving a defective vehicle is unreasonably unsafe.
Note that if the truck in the above example had only cosmetic damage -- such as a dented fender -- then the boss probably could legally fire Jack if he refused to drive the truck.
Example: Jack is a truck driver for a large Nevada company. The company is late for a shipment, so it orders Jack to speed twenty miles over the limit in order to deliver the shipment on time. If Jack refuses to speed, it would probably be illegal for the boss to fire him because surpassing the speed limit is against the law.
Note that it should not matter in the above example if the roads were empty, or that other drivers routinely speed. Jack can refuse to carry out his boss's unlawful orders even if it is unlikely no one would get hurt.
Certainly, the concerted activity itself must be legal in order for workers to be protected from termination. If they become violent or destructive, the employer probably would be able to fire them lawfully.
Employers may not fire workers even if they testify against the employer as a witness.
Note that employers may fire employees for their legal off-duty activities if they hinder their work performance. For example, employers can fire people who come to work drunk after drinking off-duty.
Wrongfully terminated employees may be able to sue for back pay.
The court may also order that the defendant pay the plaintiff "loss of future earnings." This is the money the plaintiff would have continued receiving had he/she not been fired. If the plaintiff gets a new job that pays less than the job he/she was fired from, the plaintiff may also be able to recover the difference in pay.
Pain and suffering refers to the emotional distress the plaintiff experienced due to the firing. This may be difficult to calculate since it is so subjective and individual to the plaintiff. Oftentimes, employment attorneys rely on mental health expert witnesses to help evaluate the extent of the plaintiff's pain and suffering.
Punitive damages are meant to punish defendants and hopefully deter them and others from making the same mistake. This is different from compensatory damages -- like back pay -- which make the plaintiffs "whole" by repaying them for what they wrongly lost.
If defendants act in a particularly shocking way, courts may choose to impose punitive damages. Employment attorneys always pursue punitive damages since they can be much higher than compensatory damages.
Sometimes fired employees want to move on with another employer. But some want their job back. Depending on the case, courts may order employers to rehire workers they unlawfully fired.
Note that being reinstated does not mean that the employee is immune from being fired in the future. If they commit a fireable offense, the employer can lawfully terminate them.
Call our Las Vegas labor law attorneys at 702-DEFENSE today for a FREE consultation.
Were you wrongfully fired in Nevada? Call our Las Vegas employment law attorneys for a FREE consultation at 702-DEFENSE (702-333-3673). We will fight for all the damages available in your case, including loss of past and future earnings, pain and suffering, attorney's fees, and possibly getting your job back!
Do you work in California? See our article about California wrongful termination laws.
See Hansen v. Harrah's, 100 Nev. 60, 675 P.2d 394 (1984).
See Types of Employment Discrimination, Nevada Equal Rights Commission.
K Mart Corp. v. Ponsock, 103 Nev. 39, 732 P.2d 1364 (1987).
See Dillard Dep't Stores, Inc. v. Beckwith, 115 Nev. 372, 989 P.2d 882 (1999).
See Family and Medical Leave Act, Nevada Department of Administration; OVERVIEW For State of Nevada Executive Branch Agencies.
See D'Angelo v. Gardner, 107 Nev. 704, 819 P.2d 206 (1991).
See Allum v. Valley Bank, 114 Nev. 1313, 970 P.2d 1062 (1998).
See MGM Grand Hotel-Reno v. Insley, 102 Nev. 513, 728 P.2d 821 (1986).

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