Not all unjust firings are considered wrongful termination. For example, if you are accused of stealing – even if you did not do it – you do not technically have a wrongful termination claim in Illinois (though that doesn’t mean you don’t have any claim at all). The same is true if your boss just doesn’t like you. There are no federal laws regarding wrongful discharge – only state laws. In Illinois, wrongful termination claims are related only to the violation of laws: Discrimination. If you are fired for being a member of a protected class – such as race, gender identity, age, sex, and so forth – either under state or federal law, you can make a wrongful termination claim. Retaliation. You cannot be fired for filing for workers’ compensation, or for protesting or assembling on your own free time, because you have rights which guarantee these things. You cannot be fired for refusing the sexual advances of your supervisor, employer, or coworker. Public policy violation. You cannot be fired for any act that would violate public policy regulations, such as for blowing the whistle on an employer, or filing an EEOC claim. (Often, claims of public policy violations are made in conjunction with retaliation claims.) Breach of contract. Your employment contract binds you and your employer; in some cases, by virtue of having a contract, you may no longer be considered an at-will employee. As such, if you are fired for a reason unrelated to what is outlined in your contract, you may be able to file a wrongful termination claim. Taking time off. You cannot be fired for taking vacation days or your PTO, for using time under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), or for going to jury duty. You cannot be fired for not working through your lunch hour. Depending on the circumstances, you may not be fired for refusing to work mandatory overtime.