20+ Sample Wrongful Termination Letters

What Is a Wrongful Termination Letter?

A wrongful termination letter can serve as the official and formal document which can present your disagreement with your employment termination as decided by your previous employer. Since you are transacting with a corporate entity, it is important for you to ensure that the document that you will be making is still appropriate to be used for business processes and transactions even if it contains a message of grievance.

How to Prepare for the Proper Drafting of a Wrongful Termination Letter

In comparison to 2016 data, claims on wrongful termination has been down by 8% last 2017 (source: wrongfulterminationsettlements). Your participation as the employee who has been terminated wrongfully is very important if you truly want to appeal to your ex-employer. Being able to stand up for yourself, with the help of attorneys and other experts, can lead to further lowering wrongful termination claims. Before you write a wrongful termination letter, make sure that you took the time to prepare for it. Here are some of the ways on how you can efficiently prepare for the proper drafting of a wrongful termination letter:

1. Review Your Employment Contract and Your Organization’s Policies and Regulations

Know where it went wrong. If you can look into your employment contract, the better chances there will be that you can get the answers that you need as to why you have been terminated wrongfully. Browsing through all the segments of your employment contract can give you the specifications of your rights and entitlements which you can then compare to what the wrongful termination contains. Presenting facts about the disconnect between the grounds for your termination and the policies of the organization can help you win the case.

2. List Incidents and Gather Other Kinds of Evidences That Can Help You Prove the Wrongful Termination

You have to make sure that the reason why you have been termination is unlawful. Aside from feeling that you have been terminated wrongfully, you need to be able to prove it. Gather as much documents as you can as these can support you to strengthen and validate your claims. The more supporting documents you have that are relevant with the subject matter, the higher chances you will have to resolve the issue or come up with a resolution that is in your favor.

3. Look at the Details of the Termination Letter

Your wrongful termination letter should be created after the actual termination. Though you can prepare for the document’s development once you have received the notice for termination, it is still important for you to know the appropriate phase on when you can already submit the document. Look into the details of the termination letter that has been given to you so you can list down all of the items that you must counter. Reviewing the termination letter can also help you become more particular with the key points that your ex-employer focused on when coming up with the decision of terminating you.

Factors to Look Into When Making a Wrongful Termination Letter

Have you ever created a wrongful termination letter? If this is your first time to make one or if you want to refresh your mind about the document’s effective development, it is essential for you to have a list of the things that you have to prioritize so you can come up with an outstanding wrongful termination letter as an output. The most important factors that you have to look into when making a wrongful termination letter are as follows:

The selection of your language and tone: Properly select the words that you will put into writing as these will be documented for the rest of time once you have already sent the wrongful termination letter to your previous employer. Do not use any technical terms and jargon that can confuse the representative of the organization who will look at the details of the letter. Aside from this, use a formal tone when discussing your key points so you can maintain a civil interaction between you and the other party involved.The validity of all your claims: You have to be armored with usable documents and actual evidences as you try to disagree with the terms and causes of your terminations. Always prioritize the validity of your claims when writing down your statements. Ensure that your claims are factual and are based on circumstances or activities which are either documented or can be supported by a statement of a witness.The clarity and organization of your discussion: Have an understandable and systematic discussion flow. It is essential for your wrongful termination letter to be refined and direct to the point so you can have a clear presentation of all the details that you need to put together for the document’s completion.

8 Steps for Writing a Complete Wrongful Termination Letter

Creating a wrongful termination letter can be fast and easy if you are aware of the strategies that you will execute as well as the steps that you need to follow. With this, organize the procedure that you plan to realize so you can efficiently create a wrongful termination letter. Make your call-to-action as simple as possible as this can enable you to narrow down your discussion to a minute, informative, and essential details. Below is a simple eight-step process that can help you write a complete wrongful termination letter on your own.

Step 1: Download and Use an Editable Wrongful Termination Letter Template

Look for the most suitable wrongful termination letter that you can refer to for all of your formatting needs. Make sure to use a pre-formatted template that can totally and excellently present all the details that you would like to discuss.

Step 2: Formally Address the Wrongful Termination Letter to Its Recipient

With the help of the template which you have chosen; input the header, return address, date of the letter, inside address, and salutation in their proper placements within the document layout. Having a well-formatted wrongful termination letter can make it easier for you to incorporate formality in the letter’s usage and purpose.

Step 3: Write a Compelling, Concise, and Strong Introduction

After all of the basic items that are needed to be seen in a standard letter are already in place, you can already focus on the main body of the document. Begin with an introduction that is believable, brief, and detailed. In the introduction, you can state the reason why you have written the letter and why you think that there is something wrong with the decision of the company to terminate you.

Step 4: Present the Outline or Summary of Your Wrongful Termination’s Circumstances

On the next paragraph, you can already provide a more in-depth detailing of the circumstance. Specify the date of your termination, the accurate and complete name of the person who fired you, the specific and mentioned reasons on why you were given the termination, and the statement that you strongly believe that the termination is wrongful.

Step 5: Specify all of the Reasons and Relevant Details of Your Disagreement

Prepare yourself when listing down all of the reasons why you do not agree with your termination. Review your employment contract and use excerpts in necessary. The segment or paragraph which contains the explanation of your reasons on why you disagree with the termination should be the longest section of the wrongful termination letter. With this, you have to be particular with the reason/s on why the termination is unlawful. Present your evidences and proofs. It will be best if you can also track all of the incidents which lead you to believe the termination is wrong and should not be done in the first place.

Step 6: Do Not Forget to Limit the Response Time That You Expect From Your Ex-Employer

Once you have already explained your party, formally ask for a response coming from your ex-employer. Properly set the time frame when you expect to receive a response. Again, always be polite and make sure to never make threats when writing your request. To make your previous company feel the need and the urgency to reply to the letter, state that you will already seek legal counsel if you will not receive any reply from their end.

Step 7: Properly and Appropriately Close the Wrongful Termination Letter

Close the letter with the help of a closing salutation followed by an allocated space for your signature. Have your name printed after these items so the employer who terminated you wrongfully can be fully-aware on who the letter was from.

Step 8: If Applicable, Provide an Organized List of Document Attachments Before Finalizing The Wrongful Termination Letter

Have a list of supporting documents that can help you prove your position. You can have include a short statement at the bottom part of the letter to specify all of the attachments included in the document. After this, you can already look into all the details of the wrongful termination letter. Polish the document until you are already satisfied with its quality.

Benefits of Developing a Detailed Wrongful Termination Letter

Your wrongful termination letter can already help you put a step forward with the proper investigation for your termination case. There are different ways on how you can benefit from writing a wrongful termination letter which is why you have to keep the development of the specific document highly-considered if you have been involved in the given circumstance. Here are some of the many benefits of developing a detailed wrongful termination letter:

A wrongful termination letter can help you formally and professionally appeal to your organization with regards your termination: Just because you are writing a wrongful termination letter does not mean that you are coming from a perspective with hate. Your well-made wrongful termination letter can help your previous employer see that what you wanted is to settle things rather than have a fight with them. Through the letter, you can lessen the potential of misunderstandings and disputes which hopefully can result to a decision that both you and your employer can agree with.A wrongful termination letter can ensure all involved entities that you have taken the proper and appropriate steps before making any legal actions: A wrongful termination letter can enable you to remind your employers that are willing to take legal actions if they will not coordinate with you and/or your team with regards the specific matter. Having a complete and detailed wrongful termination letter can let you have an evidence that you reached out to the organization prior to taking any other actions.A wrongful termination letter can enable your organization and other stakeholders to look into your valid points: Explaining yourself right in front of your ex-employer can be overwhelming. This is where the usage of a wrongful termination letter can benefit you a lot. Since you have a lot of time to compose the content of the document before sending it, you can curate the information that you will relay to the business. Hence, it will be easier for you to make sure that you will have an objective and respectful take on the circumstance.

Dos and Don’ts for Creating an Effective Wrongful Termination Letter

It is hard not to be intimidated when writing a wrongful termination as you will be transacting with your previous employer after all. However, do not let your intimidation consume you. Be strong specifically for yourself as a wrongful termination letter can shed some light with how you feel and why you think that it is unjust for you to be terminated from your work designation. There are several tips that can help you become more confident and ready when writing a wrongful termination letter document which can work for your advantage. A few of the guidelines that can enable you to create an effective wrongful termination letter include the following:

Do’s

1. Do Know the Grounds for Your Own Case of Wrongful Termination 

Do you think that the termination is wrongful because it is based on discrimination? Are there any breach of contract or any other unlawful instances that occurred which made you decide to write the wrongful termination letter? You have to know the main reason on why you are writing the letter as this can serve as the foundation of the entire document. Be particular with the grounds of the wrongful termination so you can present transparent details that your target audience can easily understand and relate to.

2. Do Ensure That Your Wrongful Termination Letter is Updated and Comprehensive 

Before you submit or send your wrongful termination letter, review the document first. If you have drafted your wrongful termination letter for  a number of times, make sure that you will send the most updated one. Do not fall short when it comes to presenting evidences just because you forgot to update your wrongful termination letter. Make the document as complete and as up-to-date as possible so you can make sure of its efficiency of use.

3. Do Consult With an Attorney When Writing a Wrongful Termination Letter 

Even if you can craft a wrongful termination letter by yourself, it will always be helpful if you will consult an attorney or someone who can help you with the legalities of the transaction. Create a draft and send it to your attorney so you can discuss the things that you can still better and polish which can result to the development of  a stronger and more credible wrongful termination letter.

Don’ts

1. Don’t Let Your Emotions Get Into You 

Stay calm and collected as you try to create a wrongful termination letter. Allowing your emotions to get the best of you can sometimes lead to worse instances. You have to be professional as you talk to your ex-employer through the letter so you can still showcase professionalism and courtesy amidst what the company has done to you.

2. Don’t Include Any Other Personal Issues and Concerns Outside the Wrongful Termination 

If you have any other personal issues towards the company that are not scoped within the bounds of your wrongful termination, it will be best if you can set these aside so you can focus on the issue at hand. You can always use a separate letter specifying your other concerns. Putting these items on the wrongful termination letter is truly inefficient as irrelevant details can only ruin the effectiveness and efficiency of the specific document. As much as possible, talk about the termination and the supported reasons on why you think it is wrongful.

3. Don’t Write a Baseless or Unsupported Wrongful Termination Letter

You need to have a strategic plan as you try to write a wrongful termination letter. You cannot just create a document if you have no idea on what to write and how you can write it effectively. Study your own wrongful termination case accordingly. Not all wrongful terminations are the same which is why you have to focus on the circumstance where you are involved in. Ensuring that all of your evidences are relevant to and aligned with your statements can make it easier for you to prove your point. Never present a weak wrongful termination letter as this can bring you no good.

Stand up for your employment rights. Create a wrongful termination letter if you want to begin the process of keenly looking into your termination which you think has been wrongfully done. Are you now ready to write a wrongful termination letter? We recommend the usage of our downloadable references if you need assistance or guidance for the proper formatting of the specific document’s content and layout.