can one be fired & stopped from future employment due to a family member?

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can one be fired & stopped from future employment due to a family member?

i was fired back in Feb, told was a liability.unable to find a job due to what past employer has been telling prospective employers. & telling them “do not hire”, but has been saying i was a great employee. can i be held liable & stopped by future employment because of a family members’ legal issues?

Asked on June 30, 2009 under Employment Labor Law, Alabama

Answers:

J.V., Member, New Jersey Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 14 years ago | Contributor

Employment without a valid contract stating otherwise is "at will" meaning the employer can terminate as can the employee for whatever reason they see fit as long as not deemed illegal. This does not sound as if your being terminated falls into a category that would raise any legal issues.

With regard to the negative references an employer is normally allowed to tell future employers who contact them whatever they feel is necessary to provide an overall idea of the past employees work history and any extenuating circumstances. It sounds as if the employer says good things about you buy warns due to your family member.

Although in general I would say there is not a legal issue here without specifics as to what the family member is said to have done or be doing and how in fact it is being used in reference to you and your situation I do not want to generalize. I would suggest calling a local employment lawyer, explain the specifics and ask if they can suggest a possible remedy. I cannot be sure if there will be anything but its worth a shot. Good luck


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