Settlement Story: House GOP Settles Wrongful Firing Lawsuit

There is, seemingly, always a new wrongful termination story popping up in the news. Recent headlines point towards Olympia, Washington. In this particular wrongful termination case, the legal battle has been ongoing for three years.

The wrongful termination lawsuit was brought against the House by the former House Republican staff members. The staffers’ names were: John S. Archer, John Charba and William Engelhardt. Claims made by the men included: age discrimination, allegations that staffers were put under pressure to work on members’ campaigns as well as attend fundraising events.

Last month, a judge dismissed all but one of the claims: age discrimination.

House Republican Caucus chief of staff, Lisa Fenton, stated that the settlement of $120,000 was reached in order to end the three year long battle between the House Republican leadership and the three previous staff members who filed. The settlement agreement bars additional legal proceedings/action. The Republican House leaders did not admit to any wrongdoing.

Wrongful termination lawsuits are typically founded on claims of discrimination (age, religion, sex, nationality, etc.), retaliation (for instance, filing of or participation in a discrimination claim), refusal to commit an illegal act, departure from posted termination process or procedures, etc. Employees are protected from wrongful termination by California labor law. Winning a wrongful termination case tends to result in one of two things: reinstatement of the employee at the place of employment they were wrongfully dismissed from or monetary compensation for the wrongfully terminated paid out by the former employer.

A proven wrongful dismissal will tend to lead to two main remedies: reinstatement of the dismissed employee, and/or monetary compensation for the wrongfully dismissed.

For additional information on wrongful firing or wrongful termination please contact the southern California employment law experts at Blumenthal, Nordrehaug & Bhowmik.