Claims Against Third Parties Due to Wrongful Interference with an Employment Contract

It is illegal for anyone, including current or former employers, to interfere with your efforts to obtain or hold a job. If you were to lose a job due to such interference, you might have a valid reason to sue for compensation for the losses you suffered due to the interference. Such compensation would start with lost wages promised by the job you were unfairly denied.

Wrongfully interfering with an individual’s contractual or business relationships is known as “tortious interference.” A claim against an employer or another individual who cost you a job would be for “tortious interference with employment expectancy.”

If you have reason to file a tortious interference with employment expectancy complaint, turn to a Tallahassee employment lawyer with Cruz Law Firm, P.A., for help demanding just compensation for the harm you unfairly suffered. We’ve built a solid reputation across the Florida Panhandle for pursuing employment discrimination and interference claims.

We are seasoned legal advocates who pursue the financial accountability our clients deserve after an employer or someone else has intentionally interfered with their employment relationship. You have rights. Reach out to Cruz Law for an initial claim review with a Tallahassee employment attorney. Consultations are confidential and come with no further obligation.

Do You Have a Tortious Interference with Employment Case?

Wrongful interference may be described in two ways in legal cases:

• Tortious interference with a contractual business relationship. This occurs when someone improperly induces someone else to breach a contract between you and a third party. This could be an employment contract, a legally binding agreement between an employer and their employee that states the conditions of employment.
• Tortious interference with an advantageous business relationship. This occurs when there is no contract, but someone attempts to disrupt the relationship between two parties, causing one or the other economic harm.

Wrongful interference becomes actionable when it causes injury or harm to another and is a civil wrong for which courts impose financial liability.

Elements Commonly Found in Employment Contracts Subject to Interference

To prove a wrongful interference claim, your case must demonstrate that:

• You had a contract or business relationship or a potential business relationship with a third party
• The defendant knew about the contract or business relationship at the time of the alleged interference
• The defendant purposely and unjustly disrupted or interfered
• The defendant’s conduct led to a breach of the contract or disrupted the relationship
• The plaintiff suffered financial harm as a result of the breach or disruption.

‍

Signs You May Have a Case

Because Florida is an at-will employment state, employment contracts can generally be terminated by either party for any reason. An employee can quit a job when they want to, and employers are free to reduce the number of employees. Therefore, to prove a claim of interference with employment relationships, you must show additional wrongdoing in the form of improper methods.

Improper methods might include:

• Actions that are illegal, such as various types of employment discrimination and wrongful termination
• Violations of an established standard of trade
• Fraud or deceit
• Unethical conduct
• Contract terms that are too broad to be enforceable
• Outrageous acts that fall far outside accepted employment and business competition practices.

In employment cases, examples of wrongful interference might include:

• An employer providing a false negative reference to a prospective new employer.
• A supervisor providing a false performance appraisal in an attempt to get a subordinate employee terminated.
• An employer poaching a key employee from another employer.
• A business owner suing a former employee to enforce a non-compete.
• A co-worker threatening to resign unless a specific employee is terminated.
• A third party imposing unreasonable burdens upon the employer unless they terminate a specific employee.

‍

Understand  the Terms of Your Employment Contract

Under Florida law, employment contracts for business are legally binding. This means that when you accept a job that requires a contract, you need to review the contract carefully and make sure you understand the terms of the agreement.

If you do not understand something, contact an employment law attorney.

Cases of tortious interference related to contractual business relationships may be easier to prove because of the existence of an employment contract that defines the relationship.

Compensation for Wrongful Interference in Employment

Compensation awarded in a claim of wrongfully interfering with an individual’s employment might include:

• Future lost wages, as well as the value of lost fringe benefits
• Incurred expenses as a direct result
• Cost of pursuing a claim, such as attorney fees
• Compensation for emotional distress.

In special cases, the court may award punitive damages, which provides additional compensation meant to punish the defendant for egregious acts and to deter future similar acts by others.

Why Acting Quickly Is Crucial Act to Pursue a Wrongful Employment Interference Claim

Under Florida law, tortious interference cases must be brought within four years of the last known act of interference that the defendant is accused of committing. This may seem like plenty of time, but there are many steps required before filing a lawsuit. Investigating these types of cases is time-consuming. It is critical to work with an experienced employment attorney.

How Cruz Law Firm, P.A. Can Help in a Wrongful Interference Case

You deserve justice if you have lost a job because of someone’s unlawful acts. A Tallahassee employment lawyer with Cruz Law can help you develop and pursue your wrongful interference claim by:

• Investigating the facts and circumstances of tortious interference and collecting evidence that we can use to prepare your claim.
• Documenting your ongoing and future estimated expenses and losses, including lost earnings, emotional distress, and legal expenses.
• Explaining your legal rights and options in detail and preparing you for what to expect if you take legal action.
• Filing a lawsuit on your behalf and negotiating aggressively for compensation to you in a negotiated settlement or by taking a strong and persuasive case to trial.

Talk to a Tallahassee Employment Interference Law Firm Today

You could be entitled to compensation if you have been harmed by intentional interference with contractual relations pertaining to your employment status. Contact our Tallahassee employment interference lawyers today for a confidential review of your legal options. We may be able to help you demand compensation for your monetary losses and for your emotional distress.

The Cruz Law Firm serves Florida workers in Tallahassee, Jacksonville, and the Florida Panhandle. Contact us online or at (850) 518-6319 today.