Your layoff looks illegal due to the violation of several laws at once. And we're here to help you get compensated.

It's sad to hear that you went through a layoff. However, we are here to help you restore justice. Firstly, it looks like your employer violated the terms of the contract. If this is correct, then your layoff was illegal. To identify a violation, you must carefully read your contract. For example, a contract may guarantee a worker continued employment for two years. An employer breaches the contract if this worker is laid off after one year of employment and their contract doesn't provide any justifiable reasons.  In this case, you can claim what you should have received under its terms through litigation. For example, if you have a two-year employment contract and your employer laid you off after one year, a court would order the employer to pay you a one-year salary that you should have received. How to protect your rights in case of violation of the terms of your employment contract: If you want to claim damages for your employer's breach of employment contract, you should file a lawsuit with a district court. Before going to court, please review your employment contract to ensure that your employer violated its terms. It's crucial to weigh the costs of taking legal action against the possible benefit of doing so. Based on your contract, you can claim wages for the period you were supposed to work. Secondly, your employer did not pay you the final paycheck, which violates your rights. Generally, states require employers to give paychecks quickly, sometimes immediately, on the next day of layoff or a day or two later. Other states allow employers to wait until the next regularly scheduled payday to cut a final check. In any case, you are entitled to receive a final paycheck.  What you are entitled to in addition to the final paycheck: Some states (like California) require employers to include an employee's vested, untaken vacation time in a final paycheck. You can find out how your state handles these issues by contacting your labor department. You can find a link to the state labor department through the official website of the federal Department of Labor at www.dol.gov. You might have a right to continue health insurance coverage for at least 18 months after being laid off if you have been receiving coverage through your employer and your employer has more than 20 employees. This right is granted by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).You may also have a right to receive severance. The severance is typically paid for one to two weeks for every year worked, but it can be more.  How to receive the final paycheck: You should contact the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division or the state labor department to file a complaint against your employer. Thirdly, it looks like you faced harassment at work. If this is correct, you are entitled to compensation.  According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, US employers pay more than $142.2 million a year in compensation for employment harassment complaints, and the average compensation is $31,741. However, only 20.1% of submitted complaints were approved in 2021. Therefore, finding a competent lawyer to help you draft the documents is essential. You can learn more about how to fight back against harassment and get compensated at https://allrights.us/harassment. How to get compensated for harassment: You can file a complaint online on the EEOC website, in person at an EEOC Office, by telephone, or by mail (all contacts are published on the EEOC website). Please note that you need to file a complaint within 180 calendar days from the day harassment took place. Sometimes, the filing deadline may be extended to 300 calendar days. Please note that only 20.1% of submitted complaints are approved. We advise you to find a competent lawyer to prepare the papers. Your employer may persuade you not to bring a claim against it in return for severance. An employer is not obliged to pay severance unless promised by your employment contract or the employer's policies or practices. If you agree to receive severance, try negotiating the terms with your employer before entering a severance agreement. It's advisable to give this agreement to an independent lawyer for review because it waives your right to file a claim against your employer. Organizations to help you: You can contact your state department of labor for further assistance.Rapid Response helps laid-off workers get back on their feet by providing information on how to maintain an income (unemployment insurance), health insurance, access to skills upgrading and training resources, and much more.Get assistance with unemployment benefits, insurance, and workers' compensation here.We advise you to check the information on financial aid for laid-off employees here.For help handling discrimination and harassment at the workplace, you can contact Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) at 1-800-669-4000 or [email protected]. Federal Hotline to Combat Race and Sex Stereotyping at 202-343-2008 or via email at [email protected] nonprofit advocacy organization Better Balance combats discrimination against pregnant workers and caregivers.RAINN provides help in cases of sexual harassment and violence: https://www.rainn.org/.Allrights - Instant and anonymous legal help in case of discrimination: https://allrights.us/discrimination.Allrights - Anonymous and free legal help in case of harassment: https://allrights.us/harassment.