Quiet firing is when an employer pushes an employee to quit. They make it seem like it’s the employee making the choice when, in reality, the employer is leaving them with little choice but to leave.
If you were relatively happy in your job until recently but now feel it’s clear your employer wants you gone, then it’s important to look at why.
Illegal reasons for firing an employee
There are many reasons an employer might want you to leave but not want to fire you. Sometimes, the reason behind it all is that they are upset or angry about something you did, yet they know the law gave you every right to do it. If they were to fire you because of your actions, they would leave themselves open to a lawsuit.
For their actions to be unlawful, the underlying reason would have to be that you took part in a protected activity. Examples include complaining about harassment or discrimination and informing the authorities of illegal actions by the business you work for, such as fraud or safety breaches.
If they fired you, they know you could accuse them of retaliation, so instead, they opt to make staying at the company a less appealing option for you. They might give you less preferable shifts, decrease your pay or a host of other things that could make staying on the job unappealing.
Not every adverse action an employer takes will amount to quiet firing or retaliation. However, it’s important not to let negative actions go on too long on the assumption that your employer’s ire will blow over or that you are misunderstanding the situation. With experienced legal guidance, you can better determine what is happening and your options to improve things.