The term "at will hire state" (unemployment, closing, job)

[skiphoxie]

I am not familar with the term can anyone explain it to me? It is used in the context of an employment agreement.

[nicoled24]

Hi Skip!

Now, I am not an HR professional, however, have held more than one job in the state so I think I might be able to answer!

I think it is also called "employment-at-will"

It basically means that, unless you are bound by a contract with your employer, you are free to quit the job at anytime, for any reason...on the other hand, your employer can also "dismiss" you at anytime, for any reason... I think this would be easiest way to describe it...someone may have a more legal definition...

Hope that helps!

Nicole

[mm34b]

It just means you are employed at the will of your employer and can be terminated at any time without cause. However, if you feel you were terminated for a reason that's against state or federal law, you can appeal to the appropriate government office or commission.

[TallyNJ]

That's correct.....it is mostly used for sales positions but has grown to be used in more and more levels of employment. Actually it is pretty standard now. Florida, NJ etc etc. Everybody, without an actual contract for work and sometimes with one, is employed "at will".

[Bethanytedder]

They pretty much have it called. An employer can basically fire you for whatever they wish. I understand a lot of states are like this. I don't particularly think it is fair but that is the way it is.

[Gracie]

You are leaving out an important part of the at will terms. Your employer does NOT have to give you a reason why you are being terminated. They do not have to give any explanation at all.

[Bethanytedder]

Originally Posted by Gracie

You are leaving out an important part of the at will terms. Your employer does NOT have to give you a reason why you are being terminated. They do not have to give any explanation at all.

I thought that was what I said? Maybe not clear enough. They can fire you if you wear green to work and they hate green because it give the employer a headache. Although you wouldn't be told this. At best you would probably get the old song and dance about how your work performance isn't up to snuff or some other equally crazy idea. Try this on for size. When I was 21 and pregnant with my second son, I was the assistant manager of a KFC in Kinston. The manager lived right beside me. I worked for 19 days straight, sometime 12 hours a day without a break. Why? Because Irene always had an excuse as to why she couldn't work. She was sick, one of the kids was sick or what have you. Finally one morning I was hell bound and determine that I was not going to look at her face that morning and end up working. So when my husband went back to Snow Hill to go to work, I went with him to my mother's and straight to bed. It was my day off anyway as long as I was somewhere Irene couldn't find me. And she didn't. She was madder than a hornet the next day when I showed up. To add insult to injury I figured out why she wasn't working. When she wasn't banging the supervisor who was her boss, she was with the owner of the restuarant. Eventually the owned asked me if I had seen Irene and the man together and I told him no that I hadn't seen them but she lived beside me and half the night his big red and white KFC truck was at her house for hours at the time. Apparently he confronted her and the man and I don't know what went down but about a week later we had a man show up that was intoxicated and he had a bottle of liqour in his hand that he wanted us to drink. Now mind you I was 21 and the oldest one working that night. Figuring that it was close to closing and the easiest way to get rid of him was to take the bottle and make him think we had drunk it he would leave. And that is what he did. I put the bottle in the back and forgot about it. About midway through cleaning up, Irene and the supervisior showed up and demanded to know what had gone on that night. So I told her everything from the time I got there until she arrived. She wanted to know where the bottle was. So I pulled it out and to my horror, it was bone dry. She demanded to know if I had drank the liquor and of course I didn't even drink and still don't and I would drink pregnant. So then she talks to the teenagers in there until she "finds" the one that she planted to get rid of the alcohol. She "confesses" and has a smell of alcohol on her but this girl could not have drank all that liquor and still be able to stand up let alone confess to anything. To make a long story short, I got fired for it. Best thing that ever could have happened to me. Even pregnant I had another job in 3 days at a telephone answering service. And the woman that hired me was the KFC's assistant manager ahead of me. She knew all about Irene first hand. My case went through the legal entanglements of unemployment and they eventually ruled in my favor which was great although I never drew any because I was working before the first week was out. But that is a little story on how you can get fired at the employers will. True story I swear. The reason I know it was a set up is because Irene hired this 18 year old to take my place and then she was fired in less time than it took me to get out the door. To say she was ticked was putting it mildly. There was big old stick about it with the KFC owner and this time Irene got fired and the supervisor as well.