Lafayette Housing Authority Suit
This month a former worker sued the Lafayette Housing Authority for back wages, claiming that she was wrongfully terminated in violation of her employment contract. This lawsuit marks the fourth lawsuit against the organization by former contract workers. As of now, two lawsuits have been settled for a total of $40,000.
In Louisiana, most employees are at-will employees. This designation means that an employer can terminate an employee for any lawful reason, with or without cause. Nevertheless, an action for wrongful termination arises if an employer fires an employee in violation of a protected legal right.
An employee’s legal rights may arise by contract or by operation of law. For example, if an employee has a contract with an employer, termination in violation of the contract could violate the employee’s contractual legal rights and give rise to a wrongful termination claim. As another illustration, if an employer fires an employee on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, or national origin, an employer may be in violation of federal and state employment discrimination statutes.
A wrongfully terminated employee may be entitled to an array of equitable remedies. These remedies include contractual damages such as lost wages and lost employment benefits, compensatory damages to make the victim whole, and consequential damages for any loss in consequence of the employer’s breach.
Broussard, David & Moroux represents people who have been wrongfully terminated by their employers. If you or a loved one believes you were wrongfully fired in violation of a legal right, you should contact one of our experienced attorneys. Our attorneys offer complimentary consultations to all prospective clients. For questions contact Broussard, David & Moroux, at 1-888-337-2323 (toll free) or 337-233-2323 (local).