Can I be fired for using the word halfbreed. I was referring to my step children who are half black half white. I was talking to someone and a native American girl heard it. I didn't know this word was offensive. Ive used it all my life.

You can be fired for any reason but the question is whether your former employer owes you severance, and if so, how much. The answer depends on a number of factors including the context in which you used the word in question, whether other employees use potentially offensive words without being fired for it, etc. The amount of severance you may be entitled to is a function of your years of service, age and position. Please use the free severance calculator linked at the top of the page to get a general sense of the amounts potentially owed to you and contact us at the number below to provide us with more input about the events leading up to your termination so that we can formally assess your case and recommend a course of action going forward.