Q: Offer letter being drafted . Was in a car crash. Company found out. Pulled offer . Made up new excuse.
Verbal offer stated as written offer was being drafted. Was in car accident. All of a sudden offer letter pulled. Excuse was last interview was an interview was bad but offer letter was on the way. Any grounds for suit.
A:
In California you are considered to be an at will employee, and that applies even to applicants. That means the employer has the right to change its mind about hiring you at any time and for any reason if it is doing so for a lawful reason. A verbal offer to work there is not binding on the employer. This is especially so where the offer had not been accepted in the manner required by the offer.
It is unlawful to discriminate against someone who has a disabling condition that could be accommodated without creating an undue hardship on the employer. That analysis is fact-intensive and requires far more information to be know to determine if your accident led to a disabling condition, and that the disabling condition caused the employer to withdraw the offer.
At this point it would be prudent for you to locate and consult with an experienced employment law attorney as soon as possible to explore your facts and determine your options. I would suggest you look either on this site, or go to www.cela.org, the home page for the California Employment Lawyers Association, an organization whose members are dedicated to the representation of employees against their employers.
Most employment attorneys who practice this area of law offer a free or low cost consultation in the beginning and then, if the matter has merit and value, will usually agree to work on a contingency basis, meaning you can hire an attorney without paying any money until the matter results in a positive outcome for you. Many advance all the costs of the litigation as well. Do not let fear of fees and costs keep you from finding a good attorney.
Good luck to you.
A: No. Being in a car crash is not a legally protected activity. The employer is free to terminate you because of it.
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