Employment in Washington State is at-will. This means your employer may terminate you at any time for any reason. In fact, your employer may not even provide you with a reason. There are, however, some exceptions to the at-will doctrine. For example, if your employer terminates you because of your age, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, and in Washington, sexual orientation, or in retaliation for exercising your rights, you may have a claim for wrongful termination. If you believe your employer has wrongfully terminated you, please contact us.
Your employer is not required to give you notice prior to termination. Likewise, you are not required to provide notice to your employer prior to quitting. Your employer, however, is permitted to require you to provide notice in order to receive voluntary benefits, such as vacation and holiday pay, upon quitting.
Your employer may not withhold wages owed to you. Any wages due to you upon termination must be paid by the next regularly scheduled payday. This is true regardless if you quit or if your employer terminates you. If you have been terminated, you may request in writing that your employer provide the reason for the termination and the effective date of the termination. Your employer must respond within 10 days of receiving your request.
At MBE Law Group, our employment attorneys aggressively advocate for clients who have been wrongfully terminated. We are committed to explaining all of your options so that you can make the most informed decision in any employment situation.