Q: Is it lawful to to be terminated from a job after a conversation about parking location with the supervisor?
I was laid off because my supervisor didn't like where I parked in the parking lot, although when I looked in the employee pamphlet it was never stated, parking location was never specified at all. I was also accused of disrespect and berated by both the supervisor and the owner of the company that ran our chain location, then I was notified of my termination over the phone shortly after. Is this lawful and can I pursue legal action? I believe the parking lot is property of the lot owner, not my employer. There are no parking reservations nor was I ever notified of parking regulations during my employment there.
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A: In California, employment is generally at-will, meaning employers can terminate employees for any reason or no reason at all, as long as the reason is not illegal (e.g., discrimination based on a protected class, retaliation for exercising legal rights). Termination over a parking dispute, if not related to discrimination or violation of a specific employment contract or collective bargaining agreement, is likely lawful under at-will employment principles. However, if the termination was based on discriminatory reasons, retaliatory, or in violation of written policies that constitute an implied contract, you might have grounds for legal action.
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- California
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A: In California, employment is generally "at will," meaning employers can terminate employees for almost any reason, or for no reason at all, as long as the reason is not illegal. This includes termination over disputes about parking locations, provided that the reason for termination does not violate specific legal protections, such as discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or other protected characteristics, or retaliation for engaging in legally protected activities.
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