Glossary > Employment Law > Termination And Dismissal > General

At-Will Employment

At-will employment means that an employer can terminate an employee at any time and for any reason, as long as that reason is not illegal, without incurring legal liability.

Example #1

For example, if an employee in an at-will employment arrangement consistently underperforms or violates company policies, the employer can choose to terminate their employment without having to provide a specific reason.

Example #2

Alternatively, an employee in an at-will arrangement can also choose to resign from their position without providing a specific justification.

Misuse

However, the concept of at-will employment can be misused by employers to unjustly terminate employees based on discriminatory factors like race, gender, or age. This can lead to unfair dismissals and undermine employee rights.

Benefits

One benefit for employees in an at-will employment setting is the flexibility it offers. Employees can explore new opportunities without being contractually tied to a specific job, enabling them to make career changes more freely.

Conclusion

While at-will employment provides flexibility for both employers and employees, it is important to ensure that terminations are not carried out unlawfully or unfairly. Safeguards such as anti-discrimination laws protect employees from being fired for discriminatory reasons.