The “At Will” Presumption
In nearly every state, the law presumes that employment relationships are at will. That is to say, employers and employees are free to terminate the relationship at any time and for any reason. This presumption can be overcome by showing the parties entered into an employment contract or made other promises regarding when and how the relationship would end. Courts will also ignore the at will presumption when one of several exceptions applies.
The most common exceptions involve matters of public policy. For example, employers cannot fire workers for discriminatory reasons. Likewise, they cannot fire an employee in retaliation for filing a worker’s compensation claim, or for disclosing a violation of law to the authorities (whistle blowing). A minority of states also prohibit employers from terminating employees in bad faith, such as firing a worker to avoid paying a bonus or other benefit.
As mentioned, employers and workers may enter into employment contracts. Such contracts can describe the length of employment, compensation, disciplinary procedures, reasons for termination, and so forth. As long as the contract is otherwise legal, it will be enforced in lieu of the at will doctrine. Moreover, contract terms can be created by implication, based on oral assurances and other conduct, even in the absence of a written document.
In cases involving an employment contract, courts are often called upon to interpret the meaning of specific clauses. Promises not to compete are one example. These clauses prevent former employees from engaging in the same trade in the same market or geographical area. Restrictions against disclosing trade secrets are another example. Employment attorneys routinely litigate these types of issues.
A number of other workplace matters can arise in employment law cases. This has led attorneys who restrict their practices to labor law to further specialize in areas such as unemployment insurance claims, worker’s compensation, sexual harassment, and compliance issues involving the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). For those involved in an employment dispute, finding an attorney with the right training can make all the difference.