Wrongful Termination Claims We Handle for Palatine Workers
Illinois is an at-will employment state, meaning companies can fire workers for almost any reason, but not for an illegal one. What looks like a routine layoff or termination may actually violate state or federal law, and we contest unlawful discharges that violate state labor codes, federal employment statutes, and mandated public policies. Winning your case starts with identifying exactly which protection your employer ignored.
- Termination based on protected classifications or characteristics - The Illinois Human Rights Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act forbid firing an employee based on age, race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, or pregnancy. When a protected classification or characteristic motivated the decision to terminate you, that dismissal becomes actionable rather than a routine staffing move.
- Firing after a workers' compensation claim - You cannot legally be fired for filing a workers' comp claim after an injury or for requesting the safety equipment your job requires. Illinois courts treat this kind of punishment as retaliatory discharge, one of the most common employer violations.
- Retaliation against whistleblowers - The Illinois Whistleblower Act protects employees who report corporate fraud or illegal business practices to government or law enforcement agencies. Your employer cannot lawfully terminate you for opposing or declining to participate in illegal acts.
- Violations of employment contracts - Employment contracts often guarantee job security or require specific disciplinary steps before dismissal. When companies skip those obligations, they expose themselves to serious contractual liability.
- Dismissal for assisting official investigations - Testifying honestly in a government audit or assisting labor investigators should never cost you your job. Both state and federal law protect workers who take part in official inquiries.
Proving an unlawful firing takes more than a strong suspicion. Our Palatine attorneys for wrongful employment termination analyze your workplace documentation, trace the statutes your former employer violated, and build the case needed to challenge even powerful corporations.
How Favaro & Gorman Protects Wrongfully Terminated Workers in Palatine
An illegal firing demands swift action to protect your career and your financial future. When you partner with Favaro & Gorman, Ltd., you gain a legal team focused entirely on restoring your professional standing, and one that understands a wrongful dismissal disrupts far more than a paycheck.
Comprehensive Case Review
We start with a confidential conversation about how your termination unfolded. Our attorneys measure the facts against the Illinois Human Rights Act, Title VII, the Illinois Whistleblower Act, and your contract terms, then map the filing deadlines that apply to your specific claim so no option is lost to the calendar.
Meticulous Evidence Collection
We audit corporate emails, personnel files, performance reviews, and employment agreements to establish a clear record of illegal conduct. We also guide you on preserving your own copies of relevant documents while staying mindful of your employer's policies about downloading data.
Personalized Legal Strategy
No two discharges are alike, so we build a legal roadmap around your professional objectives and financial needs, whether that means reinstatement, a negotiated severance, or full damages at trial.
Negotiation and Litigation
We pursue favorable settlements through negotiation and, when possible, through mediation. If a fair resolution is refused, our trial lawyers are ready to fight for you in Illinois state and federal courts.
You don't have to face a powerful corporation alone. Contact our team today to schedule a confidential consultation with a lawyer for wrongful termination in Palatine and take the first step toward reclaiming your career.
Dedicated Advocates for Wrongful Termination Claims in Palatine
Decades of experience
We've protected employees since 1980, combining over a century of collective knowledge to win complex workplace disputes.
Employee-focused representation
Our practice protects individuals rather than corporations, ensuring our resources belong entirely to workers.
Respected legal reputation
Peer accolades like those from Super Lawyers reflect our high standing and ethics.
Elite leadership
Dennis R. Favaro's status as a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers guarantees top-tier insights into changing local statutes.
Complete client care
We focus on your personal recovery, crafting strategies that shield your industry reputation and well-being.
Demonstrated success
Having litigated over 1,000 employment cases, we possess the courtroom tenacity needed to maximize your financial recovery.
What Palatine Workers Say About Our Employment Law Representation
Contact Favaro & Gorman for a Confidential Wrongful Termination Evaluation in Palatine
Standing up to a former employer takes courage, but you don't have to challenge a powerful corporation on your own. Favaro & Gorman, Ltd. gives you a completely confidential setting to discuss your dismissal and learn your options for legal recourse. Reach out today to review your case with a trusted Palatine attorney for wrongful termination who will fight to restore your income, your reputation, and your professional future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Losing your job unexpectedly raises urgent questions about your rights and your next steps. Our Palatine wrongful termination lawyers put together these answers to the questions we hear most from workers across the Northwest Suburbs. If your situation isn't covered here, contact Favaro & Gorman for a confidential discussion of your case.
Yes. At-will employment means you can be fired for almost any reason, but never for an illegal one. If your discharge was based on age, race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, or pregnancy, or was retaliation for exercising a legal right, you can pursue a claim despite Illinois's at-will rules.
It depends on the type of claim. You generally have 300 days to file with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or two years with the Illinois Department of Human Rights for discrimination-based discharges. Claims under the Illinois Whistleblower Act carry a longer five-year deadline, the same period that applies to common-law retaliatory discharge claims. An important exception applies when a public employer is involved, such as a municipal government: in that case, a one-year statute of limitations applies to these claims. Missing a deadline can permanently bar your claim, so contact a Palatine wrongful termination lawyer promptly.
No. Recent Illinois law prohibits employers from contractually shortening these statutory deadlines, so a clause in your contract or handbook demanding you sue within a few months is not enforceable against your statutory rights. Consult an Illinois employment lawyer to confirm the deadline that applies to your specific claim.
Depending on your claim, you may recover back pay, lost benefits, front pay or reinstatement, and damages for emotional distress. Under Title VII, punitive damages are also available when an employer's conduct is egregious or reflects callous disregard of employee rights, a remedy designed to deter other employers from similar conduct.
No. Both the Illinois Human Rights Act and Title VII make it illegal to terminate an employee for reporting discrimination or harassment, filing a charge, or participating in an investigation. A retaliatory firing gives you a separate claim, even if the underlying complaint is never proven.
Yes. Recent expansions to the law and other state and federal laws ensure that part-time workers receive the same anti-discrimination protections as full-time employees when exercising their rights.




