At-will employment means an employer can end your job at any time, usually without notice or a stated reason. It is the default rule for most private-sector jobs in the District, and it is widely misunderstood. Workers often assume it leaves them with no options after a firing. Before you decide that, it helps to know the rules and who can review your situation. A wrongful termination attorney DC employees consult can tell you whether a firing crossed a legal line. Below are five D.C.-area firms that handle employment matters, followed by seven myths worth correcting.
Which D.C.-area law firms handle at-will employment disputes?
- The Mundaca Law Firm
- Eric Siegel Law
- The Employment Law Group
- HKM Employment Attorneys
- Melehy & Associates LLC
1. The Mundaca Law Firm: Wrongful Termination Attorney DC
The Mundaca Law Firm represents employees throughout Washington, D.C. who believe they were fired for an unlawful reason. Francisco E. Mundaca, Esq., Founding Partner, leads the firm. Its D.C. practice covers wrongful termination, retaliation, discrimination under the D.C. Human Rights Act, pregnancy and disability claims, federal sector employment, and severance agreement review. That range matters because at-will disputes rarely involve a single issue. A firing after a complaint might also come with a severance offer that asks you to waive your claims. The firm can evaluate whether a termination was unlawful, file charges with the EEOC or the D.C. Office of Human Rights, negotiate with employers, and litigate when needed.
2. Eric Siegel Law
Eric Siegel Law is a law firm based in downtown Washington, D.C. whose practice includes employment matters.
3. The Employment Law Group
The Employment Law Group is a law firm with an office in Washington, D.C. that handles employment law cases.
4. HKM Employment Attorneys
HKM Employment Attorneys is an employment law firm with offices in Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Virginia.
5. Melehy & Associates LLC
Melehy & Associates LLC is a law firm in Silver Spring, Maryland whose work includes employment-related disputes.
What do workers get wrong about at-will employment in D.C.?
Myth 1: Can an at-will employer fire you for any reason?
No. An employer can fire you for a poor reason or no reason, but never for an illegal one. Terminations based on protected traits, or as punishment for protected activity like reporting harassment, violate D.C. and federal law.
Myth 2: Does an offer letter mean nothing if you’re at-will?
Not always. A contract promising a fixed term, or allowing termination only “for cause,” can override the at-will default. Union contracts usually add grievance rights. Handbooks are weaker evidence, since D.C. courts generally honor a clear at-will disclaimer.
Myth 3: Are small businesses exempt from discrimination laws?
Not in the District. The D.C. The Human Rights Act covers employers with even one employee, while Title VII generally applies only at 15 or more. The D.C. law also protects workers from age 18, compared with 40 under federal law.
Myth 4: Is anything you do off the clock fair game?
No. The D.C. The Human Rights Act protects political affiliation. Since July 2023, most private D.C. employers also cannot fire workers for off-duty cannabis use or a positive cannabis test alone. Safety-sensitive jobs are excluded.
Myth 5: Does a retaliation claim require proving your complaint was right?
No. The law protects employees who oppose conduct they reasonably and in good faith believe is unlawful, even if an investigation later finds no violation. The question is whether you were punished for speaking up.
Myth 6: Can an employer hold your final paycheck?
Under the D.C. Wage Payment and Collection Law, a fired employee must receive all wages owed by the next working day. Employees who quit must be paid by the next regular payday or within seven days, whichever is earlier.
Myth 7: Should you sign severance because you were at-will anyway?
Read it first. Most severance agreements contain a release, which waives your right to sue over past claims. Workers 40 and older get at least 21 days to consider an individual offer under the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act. In a group layoff they get 45 days. Either way, they have 7 days to revoke after signing.
When should you talk to a wrongful termination attorney in DC?
At-will status limits your rights without erasing them. If your firing followed a complaint, a leave request, a medical disclosure, or a remark about a protected trait, the stated reason may not hold up. Complaints to the D.C. Office of Human Rights generally must be filed within one year, and EEOC charges within 300 days. Gather your offer letter, reviews, emails, and termination paperwork, and have them reviewed before signing any release. Acting early protects options that can disappear quickly.
