Laying off an employee for discriminatory reasons is not permissible and may violate wrongful termination laws within the employers state. Types of discrimination include race, gender, disability, religion, age or nationality. Firing someone due to medical conditions, including pregnancy, is also illegal, according to the source.
Retaliatory firings can also end in a legal dispute, the source says. If an employee files a complaint and is fired as a result, the company may be found in violation of the law, even if the employees claim was unfounded.
Finally, employees cannot be fired for refusing to take a lie detector test under the federal Employee Polygraph Protection Act, the source warns.
Wrongful termination suits are common and sometimes can be brought for reasons outside those mentioned above. Employers who have employment practices liability insurance can be financially protected in the event that similar claims are filed against them.