Can I be fired for personal reasons?

In Illinois, employers are generally allowed to fire an employee for any reason or no reason at all, as long as the reason is not illegal. This is known as “at-will employment” and is codified in the Illinois Compiled Statutes Section 820 ILCS 55. However, there are exceptions to this at-will rule, including wrongful termination. This means that an employee may not be fired for illegal reasons, such as for their race, gender, national origin, religion, age, or disability. If an employee is fired in violation of these anti-discrimination laws, it could be considered a wrongful termination. It is also illegal for an employer to terminate an employee for “personal reasons.” This phrase does not have a set definition, but it generally means firing someone for reasons unrelated to their work performance or for reasons that are considered to be illegal or discriminatory. Examples of personal reasons might include firing someone because of a personal grudge, for being pregnant, or for political beliefs. If an employee believes they have been wrongfully terminated, they may want to file a claim with the Illinois Department of Human Rights or with a private attorney. In either case, they would need to provide evidence that their termination was based on an illegal reason for it to be considered wrongful termination.

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Can I be fired for personal reasons?

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