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Unfair Termination - Can I Seek Legal Counsel?

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Ashleyantoine95

New member
What is the name of your state? CONNECTICUT
I was recently terminated after raising concerns to my career advisor about a decline in my workload and not being able to meet the yearly billable hours quota. My boss and HR called later that same day and cited performance issues, but many of these were due to a lack of training and exposure to certain tasks. I was also told that managers were hesitant to assign me work, yet I was not given a fair opportunity to improve. The call ended with HR saying that we would have a follow up call in 4 weeks and if there was no improvement then they will be considering seperaration. After this conversation took place, a manager I've never worked with before began to review my work and criticized my work harshly. However, i have positive reviews from a different manager that i have been working with months before and leading up to termination. I was targeted and i believe my termination may have been retaliatory or unjust, and I would like to explore my legal options. Not sure if this warrants legal counsel (if it doesn't, I apologize for the inconvenience). I was offered a small Severance and have 14 days after termination to sign. My termination was on January 23, 2025. Also, the initial HR call was on November 26, and the "follow-up call"/termination happened two months later, rather than the 4 weeks.
More context: I was with the firm for 2 years. I worked at a New York location for the most of this time, then transferred to a CT location in August 2024. The first day of my transfer to the new location and team was also the first day I begin my role as a Senior. (I had just gotten promoted). HR said that I wasn't meeting the standard of a Senior Associate, however i was only in the role for 5 months and was already experiencing a decrease in workload.
 


zddoodah

Active Member
I'm going to note that the only question in your post is in the subject header, and I have a hard time believing that anyone (especially not an attorney - I'm assuming) would think the answer to that question is anything other than yes.


I was not given a fair opportunity to improve.
No law requires that.


The call ended with HR saying that we would have a follow up call in 4 weeks and if there was no improvement then they will be considering seperaration. . . . Also, the initial HR call was on November 26, and the "follow-up call"/termination happened two months later, rather than the 4 weeks.
That seems to me like more than "a fair opportunity to improve."


I was targeted and i believe my termination may have been retaliatory or unjust
Targeted because of what? In retaliation for what? Unjust in what way?


I would like to explore my legal options. Not sure if this warrants legal counsel
Unless you're fluent in employment law (which doesn't appear to be the case, then seeking advise from an attorney would be the appropriate way to exploure legal options.

While I certainly wouldn't discourage you from seeking a consultation, nothing you posted comes anywhere close to suggesting you have any sort of viable legal claim.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
As Z said, of course you may seek legal counsel if you wish, but on the available facts the employer has done nothing illegal and I don't see any legal recourse for you. It may or may not be unfair, but the law doesn't care about fair. The law only cares about legal, and nothing you have posted suggests any illegality.
 

commentator

Senior Member
And that (unemployment approval) is where any and all questions about whther you were given an opportunity to improve and not be terminated, etc. would come into play. Terminated for poor performance does not eliminate unemployment insurance which is fairly generous in New York and Connecticut, so file the claim. It has nothing to do with whether or not you're receiving severance, they'll deal with that. As for seeing an employment attorney, I do not see a thing they've done illegally, but of course we are not there.
 

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