What Wrongful Termination Lawyers in Maryland Tell Clients to Do in the First 72 Hours After Being Fired
The three days after a firing decide more than most employees realize. Decisions made in that window, often under emotional strain, can preserve a claim or quietly destroy one. The wrongful termination lawyers in Maryland at The Mundaca Law Firm regularly meet with clients who did everything right in the moment, and others whose case became significantly harder because of avoidable missteps in the first 72 hours. Whether your firing was lawful or not, what you do next shapes your options.
During the Termination Meeting
The instinct is to argue, defend yourself, or sign whatever is placed in front of you to leave the room faster. Resist all three.
Stay calm and let them talk. Listen to the reason they give, because it may be different from what HR documents later. If a manager says “we’re going in a different direction,” that vagueness can matter when the official reason in writing turns into “performance issues.” Ask for the reason in writing before you leave. If they refuse, note that refusal.
Do not sign a severance agreement, a release, or even a general acknowledgment form on the spot. Maryland law gives you the right to take the document home and review it. Pressure to sign immediately is itself a red flag worth remembering.
Ask three practical questions before you go: when will my final paycheck be issued, what happens with my health insurance, and how do I return company property. The Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law requires employers to pay final wages by the next scheduled payday. Knowing the date matters.
The First 24 Hours: Document Everything Before Memory Fades
Once you are home and the adrenaline drops, write down what happened while it is still sharp. Dates, times, who was in the room, exact phrases used, the order of events. This timeline becomes the foundation that everything else gets built on, and details fade faster than people expect.
Forward your own personal communications to your personal email if you still have access. Emails you sent, performance reviews already sent to you, congratulatory messages, anything addressed to you that you have a legitimate right to keep. Do not download proprietary databases, client lists, or confidential company files. Maryland courts treat that as conversion or trade secret misappropriation, and it can sink an otherwise strong claim.
If you used a personal phone for work texts, screenshot the relevant threads. If meetings happened on Slack or Teams, save what you legitimately have access to before your account is disabled.
Make a list of potential witnesses. Coworkers who heard the comments, saw the pattern, or were present for the meeting. You do not need to contact them yet. You just need to remember who they are.
Days Two and Three: Filings, Requests, and Quiet Decisions
File for unemployment benefits. In Maryland, eligibility is not automatically lost because your employer claims misconduct, and the unemployment record itself can become useful evidence. The reasons your employer gives the Maryland Department of Labor may not match what they told you in the termination meeting.
Request your personnel file in writing. Maryland law gives employees the right to access this record, and it often contains performance reviews, disciplinary notices, or internal memos that contradict the stated reason for termination.
Note the deadlines that matter. A charge of discrimination with the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights generally must be filed within 300 days of the adverse action, with the federal EEOC running on parallel timelines. Public policy wrongful discharge and breach of contract claims have separate clocks under Maryland law. Missing a deadline ends a case regardless of merit.
Read any severance offer slowly. The release language usually waives every claim you might bring, including ones you have not yet recognized. Do not sign before having it reviewed by counsel.
Mistakes That Make Things Worse
Posting on social media is the most common one. Even a vague status about being “wronged” or “fighting back” gets used by defense attorneys later. Stay quiet online.
Calling former coworkers to vent puts them in an uncomfortable position and can compromise their value as witnesses. Save those conversations for after you have spoken with an attorney.
Recording any phone call with HR or your former manager without their consent violates the Maryland Wiretap and Electronic Surveillance Act. It is a criminal act, and Maryland courts will exclude that evidence and view you less favorably going forward.
When to Bring in Wrongful Termination Lawyers in Maryland
The first 72 hours are when experienced wrongful termination lawyers in Maryland can do the most for you. The Mundaca Law Firm helps employees decide what to preserve, what to request, what to file, and what to ignore while emotions are still raw. If something about your firing feels wrong, do not wait for the deadline to start running. Schedule a confidential consultation while the evidence is still fresh and your options are still open.