Can I be fired from my job if I was convicted of a felony a year and four months after I was hired?

Attorney answers (3)

1. Licensed in GA

   

   Dean Fuchs

   Atlanta Employment / Labor Attorney

   Contributor Level 13

   Answered November 18, 2011 11:05. It sure can. It is unclear from your e-mail whether or not your Employer previously asked about (or you previously disclosed) your conviction, but it really doesn't matter. The employer can terminate you for any reason, or no reason at all, so long as the reason is not discriminatory.

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2. 

   Margaret Ferron

   Hartford Employment / Labor Attorney

   Contributor Level 8

   Answered November 18, 2011 10:27. Unfortunately, they probably can. Georgia is what's called an "at will" employment state, meaning that you can be fired for any reason at any time and the employer is not liable under the law. There are some exceptions to this, of course; you can't be fired because of your age/race/gender/disability/pregnancy/religion or complaints about illegal or discriminatory behavior. But my boss can walk into my office and fire me for wearing a blue dress and there's nothing I can do about it.
   
   Committing a felony is usually a good example of a reason that an employer can fire you. There may be some other causes of action, however. Check your employee handbook or other documents from your employer to see if there's any mention of whether committing a felony is grounds for termination. As always, it's a good idea to talk to a lawyer in person and get a second opinion!

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3. 

   Christine McCall

   Pasadena Administrative Law Lawyer

   Contributor Level 20

   Answered November 19, 2011 08:31. Yes you can be fired on this basis. Or you can be fired for no particular reason.

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