When it rains it pours is what my mom used to say. Certainly happened in my case as well.

New York is an "At Will" employment state, meaning that you can be fired (or quit) for any reason at any time. The exceptions in New York labor laws are only in regards to discrimination based on Race, Creed, National Origin, Age, Handicap, Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Marital Status.

There are also provisions in their laws that prohibit release for political or recreational activities outside of work, legal use of consumable products outside of work, membership in a Union and making complaints about the employer to the Commissioner of Labor or their representatives about any provision of the Labor Law.

Now in "At Will" states (Idaho is one as well and I was an employer and hiring manager which is why I know what I know about it) the labor laws generally favor the employer, so it can be difficult to build a case. Remember now however, the Employee Handbook (which is in fact a contractual agreement) of the company is where you will find what an employer can and can't do if there isn't a specific Employment Contract signed between the employer and employee, which would then supersede the Employee Handbook unless stipulated in either document.

So my first suggestion to you is to dig out your Employee Handbook or your Employment Contract if you had one in place as your employment guidelines will be layed out in those documents and let you know what they can or cannot terminate you for outside of the state law.

If you find that they have violated anything within those agreements then you have a case, just be sure to document or record "everything". This will also help when/if you need to file for State Unemployment Benefits. One of the reasons I was a good manager was I knew my state laws inside and out and my employee handbook (I wrote the majority of them) as I had a way of keeping our unemployment insurance very low by making sure I dotted my "i's" and crossed my "t's" and knew what I could terminate for and what I couldn't.

Let me know if I can help there, I'd be happy to take a look, just remember, I'm a hick from Idaho and not an attorney. smile

Keep your chin up brother, just know when it rains it pours and you just have to weather the storm.


Eric

Last edited by EricS; 04-26-2012 04:22 PM.
Young Frack, SCC T4N2M0, Cisplatin,35+ rads,ND, RT Mandiblectomy w fibular free flap, facial paralysis, "He who has a "why" to live can bear with almost any "how"." -Nietzche "WARNING" PG-13 due to Sarcasm & WAY too much attitude, interact at your own risk.