Wrongful Termination and 'At Will' Employment

Full Video Transcript

Most states generally follow the employment-at-will doctrine. This means that your employment may be terminated by you or by your employer at any time and for any nondiscriminatory reason. However, under certain situations, a termination may constitute wrongful discharge. For example, an employer cannot fire an employee because of his or her race, religion, color, national origin, age, gender, or handicap. An employment relationship may also provide that an employee may only be terminated for cause, which means you can be only fired for a good reason, such as violating an employer’s work rules or neglecting work duties. Whether termination was for cause is generally determined by the terms of an employment contract. If it requires good cause, then being fired or forced to resign without good cause may subject the employer to a civil lawsuit.