The most misunderstood employment law.

Employees Cannot Be Fired Without Due Cause.

Unfortunately, in California, and most of the other United States employment is known as "at will" which means literally that the employer can fire you, the employee for no reason, or any reason.

There are two notable exceptions

A. Discrimination

Employers cannot practice discrimination against employees due to the basis of their age, race, sex, national origin, disability, and for a variety of other reasons. Employers may not discriminate towards an employee due to the employee being reported in connection with "whistle blowing" reporting illegal activity of the employer. They cannot discriminate for participating in other protected activities, such as filing a workers compensation case

An employee fired due to one of the above factors, may sue the employer since this practice is against the law

B. Contract

When an employee is under contract with an employer, the employee cannot be fired without just cause. Contracts can be written or implied. (Refer to breach of contract). A common contract between an employee and employer would be most union contracts.

Other than these two exceptions and perhaps a few very rare others, employers can fire you for any reason, even because they just don't like you.