Florida is considered an "at will" employment state. This typically means that employees and employers can terminate an employment whenever they want and without designating a specific reason. While an employer needs no particular reason for the dismissal of a worker, the termination cannot be an act of retaliation or discrimination. If the reason for dismissal is illegal, the victim may have grounds for a wrongful termination lawsuit against the employer.
An employment contract can be a written or implied agreement between an employer and an employee. When an employee is discharged by an employer in violation of the agreed upon employment contract, a breach of contract has taken place. There are legal remedies to address such violations.
In some cases, employers may accuse employees of breach of contract unfairly. For instance, if an employee experiences unforeseen problems or medical conditions that prevent him or her from fulfilling agreed upon tasks under the employment contract, the employer may discharge that person without proper remuneration. With the help of an employment law attorney, the employee may be able to recover lost wages for any work performed before the unintended absence that might have led to the dismissal.
An employee in Florida who is the victim of wrongful termination may pursue compensatory damages in civil court. If the case is successfully presented, the employee may be awarded all the benefits that he or she would have enjoyed had the contract not been breached. However, standing up against corporations takes courage, and many wronged employees choose to seek the help of an experienced employment law attorney to protect their rights and advocate for them.
Source: Findlaw, "Breach of Employment Contract: What Remedies May Be Possible?", Daniel Taylor, Accessed on Sept. 2, 2016