Wrongful Termination & SSDI Rights in Missouri

Wrongful Termination & SSDI Rights in Missouri

Losing your job while dealing with a disability is one of the most devastating experiences a Missouri worker can face. When that termination is unlawful, you may have claims under both employment law and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) programs simultaneously. Understanding how these two areas of law intersect in Missouri is critical to protecting your financial future and your legal rights.

What Constitutes Wrongful Termination in Missouri

Missouri follows the at-will employment doctrine, meaning employers can generally terminate workers for any reason or no reason at all. However, significant exceptions exist that make many terminations unlawful.

Your termination may be wrongful under Missouri or federal law if it was based on:

• A physical or mental disability protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA)
• Filing or attempting to file a workers' compensation claim
• Taking protected medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Race, sex, age, religion, or national origin discrimination
• Retaliation for reporting workplace safety violations or illegal conduct
• Refusal to violate a law or public policy

The Missouri Human Rights Act provides protections that in some cases exceed federal law, covering employers with six or more employees for disability discrimination claims. If your employer fired you because of a disabling medical condition or because you applied for SSDI benefits, you may have a strong wrongful termination claim under both state and federal law.

How SSDI Claims Interact With Wrongful Termination Cases

Many Missouri workers don't realize that filing for SSDI and pursuing a wrongful termination claim can happen at the same time — and that each can affect the other. When you apply for SSDI, you are asserting to the Social Security Administration that you are unable to perform substantial gainful activity due to your medical condition. Meanwhile, a wrongful termination claim asserts that your employer acted illegally in ending your employment.

This creates what courts call the "judicial estoppel" problem — arguing in one proceeding that you are totally disabled while arguing in another that you were capable of continuing to work. The U.S. Supreme Court addressed this in Cleveland v. Policy Management Systems Corp., holding that a person can pursue both claims if they adequately explain the apparent contradiction. For example, if you were capable of performing your job with reasonable accommodations your employer refused to provide, both claims can coexist.

A Missouri attorney experienced in both SSDI and employment law can help you frame your claims consistently and protect you from having one claim undermine the other.

Disability Discrimination and the Duty to Accommodate

Before terminating a disabled employee, Missouri employers covered by the ADA are legally required to engage in an interactive process to determine whether a reasonable accommodation would allow the employee to continue working. Skipping this process entirely, or going through the motions without good faith, can itself constitute a violation of the ADA.

Reasonable accommodations in Missouri workplaces may include:

• Modified work schedules or reduced hours
• Remote work or telecommuting arrangements
• Reassignment to a vacant position
• Modified equipment or assistive technology
• Extended medical leave beyond what FMLA requires

If your employer refused to discuss accommodations and instead terminated you, that refusal is strong evidence of disability discrimination. Document all communications with HR, your supervisor, and your employer's legal team. These records become critical evidence in any subsequent legal action.

Filing Deadlines and Where to File in Missouri

Missouri imposes strict deadlines on discrimination and wrongful termination claims. Missing these windows permanently bars your right to sue, regardless of how strong your case may be.

For MHRA claims, you must file a charge with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR) within 180 days of the discriminatory act. For ADA and Title VII federal claims, you must file with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) within 300 days in Missouri, because Missouri is a "dual-filing" state with a state agency. After receiving a right-to-sue letter, you have 90 days to file a lawsuit in federal court.

Workers' compensation retaliation claims in Missouri have a five-year statute of limitations under RSMo § 287.780, giving you more time, but do not let that lead to complacency. Evidence degrades, witnesses move, and employers destroy records. Acting quickly is always in your best interest.

What Compensation You May Recover

A successful wrongful termination claim in Missouri can result in substantial financial recovery. Depending on the legal theory and facts of your case, you may be entitled to:

• Back pay — wages and benefits lost from the date of termination to the date of judgment
• Front pay — projected future earnings if reinstatement is not feasible
• Compensatory damages — emotional distress, humiliation, and damage to reputation
• Punitive damages — available under the MHRA when the employer acted with malice or reckless indifference
• Attorney's fees and court costs — recoverable under both the ADA and MHRA if you prevail

Simultaneously, a successful SSDI claim provides monthly disability benefits based on your earnings record, Medicare eligibility after 24 months of receiving benefits, and potential back pay dating to your established disability onset date. Together, these recoveries can provide meaningful financial stability during an extraordinarily difficult time.

Missouri workers pursuing both tracks should be aware that any back pay recovered in a wrongful termination settlement may affect the amount of SSDI back benefits the SSA considers you owed. An attorney coordinating both claims can help minimize any offset and maximize your total recovery.

The bottom line is this: if you were fired from a Missouri job because of a disability, because you applied for SSDI, or because your employer failed to accommodate a serious medical condition, you likely have legal options. The combination of Missouri state law protections and federal disability law creates multiple avenues for relief, and the two-track approach of pursuing employment claims and SSDI benefits simultaneously is both legally permissible and strategically sound when handled correctly.

Need Help? If you have questions about your case, call or text 833-657-4812 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

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