Employment Law Lawyer
Wrongful Termination Lawyer
Wrongful Termination Lawyer — Fighting for Employees Who Were Fired Illegally
Mississippi and Georgia are at-will employment states. Employers can generally end the employment relationship for any reason — or no reason at all. But that rule has limits. When an employer fires someone because of illegal discrimination, in retaliation for protected activity, or in violation of a contract, the termination crosses the line from lawful to wrongful.
Hawkins Law, P.C. represents employees — not employers — in wrongful termination cases in Mississippi and Georgia. John F. Hawkins has been fighting for workers' rights since 1993. He is a former Chair of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the Mississippi Bar and a past President of the Mississippi Association for Justice. He knows how employers defend these cases and how to overcome those defenses.
What Makes a Termination Wrongful?
A termination is wrongful when the employer's actual reason — whatever rationale they give — violates a legal prohibition. The three most common categories are retaliation, discrimination, and breach of contract.
Federal and state law protect employees who engage in legally protected activity. Firing someone in response to that activity is retaliation. Protected activities include reporting workplace safety violations, filing a workers' compensation claim, reporting illegal conduct or fraud, participating in a discrimination investigation, and taking protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
John Hawkins has handled significant retaliation cases. The $32 million judgment in the Aldridge whistleblower case was, at its core, about what happens when wrongdoing is reported and the reporting employee faces consequences. Retaliation is one of the most aggressively litigated employment claims because the stakes are high on both sides.
Federal law prohibits firing an employee because of their race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age (if 40 or older), disability, or pregnancy. An employer cannot terminate someone for belonging to a protected class — and when they do, they rarely admit it. Building a discrimination case requires developing circumstantial evidence, identifying comparator employees who were treated differently, and establishing a pattern.
Employment Discrimination Lawyer
Most employees in Mississippi and Georgia are at-will, meaning no contract protects them from termination. But some employees have contracts — written employment agreements, offer letters with specific terms, or collective bargaining agreements — that limit the employer's right to terminate. When an employer terminates an employee in violation of those terms, it may constitute both wrongful termination and breach of contract.
What Can You Recover?
Damages in a wrongful termination case depend on the nature of the claim and the extent of the harm. Recoverable losses can include:
- Lost wages — past and future — from the date of termination
- Lost benefits — health insurance, retirement contributions, stock options
- Costs of finding new employment
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Reinstatement to the former position
- Attorney fees (available in certain statutory claims)
- Punitive damages in cases involving particularly egregious conduct
Steps to Take After a Wrongful Termination
- Preserve all documentation — offer letters, performance reviews, emails, texts, and any termination notice.
- Do not sign a severance agreement without attorney review. Severance agreements almost always include a release of claims.
- Write down the events leading up to the termination while they are fresh.
- Identify any witnesses who observed relevant conduct or statements.
- Note any changes in how you were treated after engaging in protected activity.
- Contact an attorney as soon as possible — filing deadlines for employment claims can be short.
Filing Deadlines
Employment discrimination and retaliation claims under federal law typically require filing a charge with the EEOC before a lawsuit can be filed. The deadline is 180 days from the adverse action if only federal law applies, or 300 days if a state agency also has jurisdiction. These are strict deadlines — missing them forecloses the federal claim.
Contract-based wrongful termination claims in Mississippi have a longer statute of limitations but still require prompt attention to preserve evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
My employer said I was terminated for performance. Can I still have a claim?
Yes. Employers rarely admit the real reason for a termination. If the stated reason is pretextual — and the timing, circumstances, or disparate treatment of other employees suggests the real reason was illegal — that can be established through evidence. An attorney can assess the strength of the pretext argument.
I was asked to sign a severance agreement. Should I?
Not before having an attorney review it. Severance agreements typically include a broad release of all employment claims. Once signed, that release is usually enforceable. If you have a viable wrongful termination claim, the severance offer may be worth far less than the claim it is releasing.
What if I was an at-will employee?
At-will status does not protect an employer from liability for illegal terminations. If the reason was discriminatory or retaliatory, at-will status is not a defense.
Does it matter that I was not formally told why I was fired?
No. Employers are not required to give reasons for termination. The lack of an explanation, or a shifting explanation, can actually support an inference that the real reason was illegal.
Contact a Wrongful Termination Lawyer at Hawkins Law, P.C.
If you were fired and believe the real reason was illegal, Hawkins Law, P.C. can help you evaluate what happened and what to do about it. John Hawkins will review the facts of your termination honestly and advise you on your options.
Call (601) 258-8330 or reach out online. The firm represents employees throughout Mississippi and Georgia.