AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT

At-will employment generally means that, in the absence of a contract, the employer or the employee may terminate the employment relationship at any time and for any reason or no reason at all. However, many exceptions to the at-will doctrine have been created by both the courts and federal and state legislatures.

Important exceptions to the doctrine include that an employer cannot terminate an employee:

• for discriminatory reasons/on the basis of a protected group status;
• on the basis of union affiliation or union activity;
• for filing a workers’ compensation claim;
• for whistle blowing.