Losing your livelihood is a jarring experience, but a discharge based on an illegal motive is a violation of your civil rights. While Illinois is an at-will state, strict legal exceptions protect you from retaliatory or discriminatory dismissal.
Wrongful Termination Claims We Represent in Illinois
In Illinois, "at-will" employment generally allows employers to terminate an employee for almost any reason. However, this power is not absolute, as state and federal laws prevent companies from firing workers for reasons that violate public policy or civil rights. Identifying the specific legal exception that applies to your situation is the first step in holding an employer accountable for an unlawful discharge with the help of our wrongful termination attorneys.
- Discrimination-based termination: It is illegal to fire an employee based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, gender, age, disability, or pregnancy status.
- Retaliatory discharge: Employers cannot terminate you for exercising a legal right, such as filing a workers' compensation claim or reporting or complaining to management about unsafe working conditions and/or other unlawful employer practices.
- Whistleblower activities: You are protected if you are fired for reporting illegal activities or refusing to participate in a violation of the law.
- Breach of employment contract: If you have a contract that guarantees employment for a specific duration or requires "just cause" for termination, a firing that ignores these terms is a legal violation.
- Participating in investigations: You cannot be lawfully terminated for cooperating with a government investigation or testifying in a legal proceeding against your employer.
Managing these exceptions requires a deep understanding of the evolving legal landscape. If you believe your firing was motivated by a discriminatory or retaliatory intent, a wrongful termination lawyer in Illinois can help you evaluate the facts and determine if your employer broke the law. Favaro & Gorman provides the sophisticated advocacy needed to challenge powerful organizations and protect your professional reputation.
How Our Wrongful Termination Attorneys in Illinois Fight for You
If you’ve been illegally fired, you deserve justice. At Favaro & Gorman, our Illinois wrongful termination attorneys combine deep local expertise with a rigorous approach to hold employers accountable.
Confidential Case Evaluation and Analysis
Comprehensive Evidence Preservation
Strategic Disclosure and Negotiation
Aggressive Courtroom Advocacy
When you hire Favaro & Gorman, you are securing a partner dedicated to restoring your professional standing. We understand that a wrongful firing is more than a legal dispute; it is a threat to your future. Our team remains focused on providing the relentless support and strategic insight you need to move forward with confidence.
Why Choose a Wrongful Termination Lawyer at Favaro & Gorman to Defend Your Rights
When your career is interrupted by an unlawful discharge, you need a legal team that understands how to turn the tide against a powerful employer. As an experienced wrongful termination law firm in Illinois, we provide the aggressive advocacy necessary to dismantle an employer's false justifications for firing you. We focus on uncovering the truth behind your dismissal, ensuring that your rights are upheld and your professional reputation is preserved throughout the legal process.
A legacy of courtroom success
Since opening our doors in the 1980s, our firm has built a 40-year history of excellence, leveraging more than a century of combined legal knowledge to resolve even the most sensitive workplace disputes.
Exclusively dedicated to workers
We choose to represent people, not corporations. This singular focus ensures that our resources are never divided, giving individual employees the high-level legal backing typically reserved for large companies.
Respected by the legal community
Our team’s reputation is backed by consistent recognition as Super Lawyers honors that reflect the high regard our peers have for our professional skill and ethics.
Nationally recognized leadership
With partner Dennis R. Favaro serving as a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, we provide our clients with elite insights into the latest shifts in Illinois employment laws.
Holistic support for your recovery
Beyond the courtroom, we focus on the person behind the case. Your wrongful termination lawyer in Illinois will develop a strategy that prioritizes both your legal victory and your long-term professional well-being.
Proven track record of justice
With a successful track record of litigating over 1,000 cases, we have the experience and tenacity to secure the maximum compensation our wrongful discharge attorneys strive to achieve for their clients.
Your future and your livelihood are too important to leave to chance after an unfair dismissal. By choosing Favaro & Gorman, you are partnering with a legal team that possesses the skill and dedication to navigate even the most complex employment challenges. We remain focused on your recovery, providing the relentless support you need to hold those responsible accountable and move forward with your career.
What Our Clients Are Saying About Our Illinois Employment Law Services
Ready to Challenge Your Unlawful Firing? Schedule a Free Case Evaluation Today
Taking the first step toward justice can feel daunting, but you do not have to confront a powerful employer alone. At Favaro & Gorman, we provide a safe, confidential environment to discuss your situation and explore your legal options. Contact us today to speak with a dedicated wrongful termination lawyer in Illinois who will prioritize your rights and fight to restore your career.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unexpected job loss often leaves you confused about your legal standing. To provide immediate clarity, our wrongful termination attorneys in Illinois have answered the most common questions about employee rights and employer obligations. While these insights offer a helpful starting point, we recommend contacting Favaro & Gorman for a private discussion regarding the specific details of your case.
Deadlines depend on the nature of your claim. For discrimination-based termination under the Illinois Human Rights Act, you now have two years from the date of the incident to file a charge with the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR). However, federal claims with the EEOC still require filing within 300 days. Missing these strict windows can result in the loss of your right to sue, so it is vital to consult a wrongful termination lawyer in Illinois as soon as possible.
Yes. Under a legal doctrine known as "constructive discharge," you may have a claim if your employer intentionally created working conditions so intolerable that a reasonable person would feel forced to resign. If the "intolerable conditions" were driven by illegal discrimination or harassment, the law treats your resignation as a termination, allowing you to pursue the same damages as if you had been fired.
Victims of wrongful termination may be entitled to several types of compensation, including back pay (wages lost from the time of firing until the trial), front pay (future lost earnings), and compensation for emotional distress. In certain cases, you may also be eligible for the reimbursement of attorney fees or even reinstatement to your former position.
Illinois is an "at-will" employment state, which generally means an employer can terminate an employee at any time, with or without cause. However, this does not give an employer the right to fire you for an illegal reason. If your dismissal was motivated by discrimination, retaliation for exercising a legal right, or whistl
Retaliatory discharge occurs when an employer fires an employee specifically for engaging in a protected activity. Common examples include filing a workers' compensation claim, reporting workplace safety violations to OSHA, or refusing to perform an illegal act. In these cases, the law protects your right to fulfill your civic and legal duties without the fear of losing your livelihood.
Illinois employers often justify a firing by citing "neutral" reasons like poor performance or restructuring. To win your case, we must prove this was a "pretext" or a cover-up for an illegal motive, such as discrimination. By uncovering inconsistencies in personnel files or digital records, we can challenge these defenses and demonstrate the true reason for your discharge.




