Traditionally, state and federal courts have supported an employment-at-will rule that specifies that an employer in a private institution can discharge an employee in the absence of a written agreement. This rule is based on the assumption that the employee can also terminate at any time without notice. Legislators have gotten into the act and passed laws making what was considered unfair practice by the employers into illegal practice. The concept of "wrongful discharge" was developed to protect those employees who were being unfairly treated by employers. As a result, the employment-at-will rule is being modified by the courts because there are now specific situations in which at-will discharge is illegal.