What does it mean to be “wrongfully terminated”?

Wrongful termination is often a misunderstood term. A lot of people think that if they get fired from their job, then it is wrongful termination. But not necessarily. You have to ask yourself the question, why? Why was I fired? If you were fired because you belong to one of the protected categories under federal law, such as your religion, your age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy status, disability, then your termination is likely to be wrongful. However, if it’s merely a personality conflict or another reason that is a legitimate business decision by your employer, then your termination is likely not to be wrongful. It is also important to note that if you complain about discrimination, or complain about your unpaid wages, or try to assert your workers compensation benefits at work, or for example you blow the whistle on your employers illegal conduct, and you get terminated as a result, then that termination is likely to be considered wrongful under the law.