Wrongful Termination Lawyers in Stockton, CA

Losing your job is difficult under any circumstances. Losing it for a reason the law does not allow is something different, and it isn't something you have to sort out on your own.

At Corren & Corren, our employment attorneys represent employees in wrongful termination claims throughout Stockton, San Joaquin County, and the Central Valley. If you believe you were fired illegally, we'll listen to what happened and give you a straight answer about where you stand.

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California Is an At-Will State. That Does Not Mean You Can Be Fired for Any Reason.

California is an at-will employment state. In most situations, an employer can end the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, and without giving a reason.

That rule has real limits. An employer may not fire an employee for a reason the law specifically prohibits, and no at-will policy, handbook, or signed acknowledgement changes that. A termination that feels unfair is not always unlawful. A termination motivated by a protected characteristic, by a protected complaint, or by an employee exercising a legal right often is.

We wrote about that distinction in more detail in My Boss is a Jerk! But is it Illegal?

What Counts as Wrongful Termination in California

Wrongful termination occurs when an employer ends an employee's job for a reason that violates state or federal law. Most claims fall into one of the following categories.

Discrimination

Termination substantially motivated by a protected characteristic, such as an employee let go shortly after disclosing a disability, a pregnancy, or a religious practice.

Retaliation

Termination that follows a protected complaint or participation in an investigation, such as an employee who reports harassment and is terminated weeks later.

Whistleblower retaliation

Termination for reporting conduct the employee reasonably believed was unlawful. California law can protect a report that turns out to be mistaken, so long as the employee's belief was reasonable.

Violation of public policy

Termination for refusing to do something unlawful, or for exercising a legal right such as filing a workers' compensation claim.

Medical and family leave

Termination connected to protected leave, or to a request for a reasonable accommodation.

Breach of contract

Termination that conflicts with an employment contract or an implied agreement limiting the employer's right to terminate.

Under California's Fair Employment and Housing Act, protected characteristics include, but are not limited to:

Race and color
Ancestry and national origin
Religion
Age, over 40
Disability, physical or mental
Sex and gender, including pregnancy and related conditions
Sexual orientation
Gender identity or expression
Medical condition
Marital status
Military or veteran status

Recognizing your situation in this list is a starting point, not an answer. These cases turn on the specific facts and on what the evidence can establish. That is what an early conversation is for.

What You May Be Able to Recover

What a wrongful termination claim is worth depends entirely on its facts, and no attorney can responsibly put a number on a case before reviewing it. Depending on the claim, recovery may include:

Lost wages and benefits from the date of termination
Future lost earnings where the termination affects long-term earning capacity
Emotional distress caused by the termination and the circumstances surrounding it
Penalties, punitive damages, and attorney's fees, which are available in some cases and not in others

Deadlines Are Shorter Than Most People Expect

Wrongful termination claims are subject to filing deadlines, and those deadlines are not all the same. Different claims carry different time limits, some run from the date of termination rather than the date you understood what happened, and certain claims require an administrative filing before a lawsuit can be brought at all.

Missing a deadline can end a claim regardless of its merits. If you believe you may have been wrongfully terminated, the most useful thing you can do is speak with an attorney early, while every option is still open.

What to Do If You Think You Were Wrongfully Terminated

Write down what happened while it is fresh, including dates, what was said, and who was present.
Keep the records you already have. Performance reviews, emails, text messages, pay stubs, and your employee handbook are often the most useful documents in these cases.
Do not sign a severance agreement or release without having it reviewed. These agreements typically give up your right to bring a claim, and once signed they are difficult to undo.
Note who saw it. Coworkers who witnessed the conduct or the termination can matter a great deal later.
Get advice early, before deadlines start closing off options.

One note on gathering evidence: keep what you already have lawful access to. Taking confidential company material you were not authorized to have can create a separate problem, and it can damage an otherwise strong claim.

Why Clients Come to Corren & Corren

Founded in 1974, Corren & Corren has represented employees in Stockton and the surrounding Central Valley for five decades. Adam Corren and Spencer Sinclair handle these cases personally. When you come to our office, you meet the attorney who will be working on your matter, not an intake screener or a case manager.

We are a local firm, and in employment litigation that matters more than people expect. We know the courts here, the employers here, and the counsel on the other side. We represent employees throughout Stockton, Lodi, Manteca, Tracy, Modesto, and San Joaquin County, and we are prepared to take a case to trial when that is what it requires.

Our results include a recovery of over $1 million for employees who were retaliated against and wrongfully terminated, and a seven-figure award in a disability discrimination case against Stockton Unified School District following two jury trials and a successful appeal before the Third District Court of Appeals.

View our case results

Past results do not guarantee or predict the outcome of any other case.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is wrongful termination in California?

Wrongful termination occurs when an employer fires an employee for a reason that violates state or federal law. That includes discrimination based on a protected characteristic, retaliation for a protected complaint or report, termination that violates public policy, and termination that breaches an employment contract.

Can I be fired without a reason in California?

Generally, yes. California is an at-will state, so an employer can usually end employment without giving a reason. What an employer cannot do is fire an employee for an unlawful reason. The absence of a stated reason does not make a termination legal, and it does not prevent an employee from bringing a claim.

How long do I have to file a wrongful termination claim?

Deadlines vary depending on the type of claim, and some are considerably shorter than people expect. Certain claims also require an administrative filing before a lawsuit can be brought. Speaking with an attorney promptly is the best way to make sure the deadlines that apply to your situation are met.

What if I was pressured to resign instead of being fired?

Resigning does not automatically end your options. Where an employer makes working conditions so intolerable that a reasonable person would feel compelled to quit, the law may treat the resignation as a termination. These claims are fact-intensive, and the circumstances leading up to the resignation matter a great deal.

What evidence do I need to prove wrongful termination?

Documentation is usually central. Emails, text messages, performance reviews, disciplinary records, pay records, and the timing of events relative to a complaint or a protected activity all tend to matter. You don't need to have everything organized before you call. Part of our work is identifying what evidence exists and how to obtain it.

How much does it cost to hire a wrongful termination lawyer?

We handle wrongful termination cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney's fee unless we recover on your behalf. Your initial consultation is free, and we will explain the fee arrangement in full before you decide whether to move forward.