When it comes to your job (or someone else’s job,) you may have heard the term “At-Will Employer” or “At-Will State” at some point. Usually it’s in the context of when and how you can be fired. And while that’s true, there’s a little more to it than that.
Here’s Five Fast Facts On At-Will Employees:
- 🔥What’s It Mean? - If you’re an at-will employee, it means you can have your job terminated at any time without cause. In other words, you can get fired on the spot.
- 🚒 How Do I Know? - Unless otherwise specified in your employment contract (or if you’re in a union), you’re working in an at-will job. Montana is the only state that is not completely at-will.
- 🧯They Like It - The company line (heh) is that at-will employment is a good choice because it makes for an easier firing process and helps the bottom line because there’s no contract involved. The quiet part that isn’t said out loud is that it also keeps the employees in line because they could be fired at any minute…
- 🧑🚒They Don’t Like It - The downside is that it can lead to positions suddenly left vacant. It also encourages a culture of silence (“If I complain, they’ll fire me”) that some argue can lead to a lack of company improvement and low morale.
- 🧨Does It Help Me? - Kind of. You can quit without any notice. Just make sure you flip the double birds AFTER you tell them you’re done.
🔥Bottom line: At-will status, like many other policies, are designed to put the power in the employer’s hands. If you suspect something is up, talk to someone outside the company ASAP, rather than someone in HR. And make sure you read your employee handbooks and documents before you sign them and re-read them on a regular basis.
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