Being terminated from employment can be an emotional and impassioned time but it is important that employees remain mindful of their duty to mitigate damages. This simply means that an employee must make the necessary efforts to lessen their losses and, in turn, the amount of damages the employer is obligated to pay. In court, employees are required to initially show that they have taken reasonable steps to mitigate damages.
The duty to mitigate requires the employee to accept a comparable position if offered by the employer providing the working environment has not turned hostile. As established by past court cases, this offer may be made immediately or after some time has passed. The offer, however, must be a position that is comparable and not one that leads to embarrassment or loss of status. In determining whether a position is comparable, factors usually include wage/salary, location, status, and training. Employees must also seek and accept comparable offers of employment from other employers. If it is proven that a comparable position was offered by another employer and it was turned down, employees may not be entitled to damages from their previous employer.
If an employer challenges the employee’s efforts in mitigating damages, they must go beyond just proving that there was an availability of comparable jobs during that time. The employer must also show that the employee had a reasonable chance at obtaining such positions and that the employee failed to pursue the employment opportunities.
There are many other factors that can influence the amount owed in damages depending on the complexity of the situation. Such factors may include retraining and career changes, the decision for the employee to pursue their own business and so forth. It is thus important to speak to a legal expert to clear up any uncertainties and to ensure the amount paid in damages is fair.