Most people would agree that lying is never a good thing. In some cases, lying at work is enough to warrant termination in the state of California. But what if a manager asks an employee to lie about a situation, then fires the employee in retaliation for refusing to lie? This is allegedly what happened to an employee in another state and she filed a lawsuit.
The woman worked for an out-of-state university and was allegedly asked to lie about the role of another employee. According to the lawsuit, the employee was an immigrant working at the university through a North American Free Trade Agreement program that allowed temporary work visas. However, the lawsuit said that the employee was in a permanent managerial role that was restricted by the program.
The plaintiff alleged that she was asked by her superior to lie about the role of the employee to federal immigration officials. The plaintiff refused to lie and was asked to resign by her superior with the threat of termination if she did not comply, the lawsuit said. A short time later the plaintiff was fired under the reasons of failing to meet expectations, according to allegations. The lawsuit was recently settled with the woman receiving $300,000.
These days, it seems that employers will do whatever it takes to save a few dollars or gain a competitive edge. Employees who witness and report unethical or illegal acts in the workplace are protected by state and federal laws from retaliation. Those who have lost employment due to retaliatory acts could obtain much-needed compensation through a successful lawsuit.