"Right to work" state? (Atlanta: employment, tax, live in)

[guymcrae]

I moved from southern California to Atlanta, Georgia and, after finding a decent job, I was told that Georgia was a "right to work" state. The person explained that this meant that your employer could fire you at any time, for anything, reasonable or unreasonable. With EEOC laws and other labor laws in place, this explanation didn't seem logical.

Help?

[Reelist in Atlanta]

It can be confusing. An employer can fire you for any reason or no reason at all. However, he cannot fire you for an illegal reason. Also, you can sue anyone for any reason and employers don't like to get sued.

[neil0311]

A right to work law has nothing to do with EEOC, discrimination, or being fired for no reason. Right to work laws simply say that you cannot be forced to join a union as a condition of employment. In some states where unions have a stranglehold on certain companies....ie.."a union shop"... you can be forced to join the union and pay union dues as a requirement for being hired.

In any state, unless you are protected by an employment contract, you can be fired "at will". Most employees in the US don't belong to a union or have an employment contract and are employed "at will." Getting unemployment benefits is the only reason that you care about being terminated "for cause" or not "for cause."

[blondandfun]

Always ask your interviewer the turnover rate of the company. They will usually make up excuses for that, but be sure to get that number as It's a good indication of whether your company is all about substance or personality/looks.

[johnatl]

....and a perfect way to ensure you aren't hired. That is one of the worst possible questions to ask an interviewer in times like these.

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by neil0311

A right to work law has nothing to do with EEOC, discrimination, or being fired for no reason. Right to work laws simply say that you cannot be forced to join a union as a condition of employment. In some states where unions have a stranglehold on certain companies....ie.."a union shop"... you can be forced to join the union and pay union dues as a requirement for being hired.

In any state, unless you are protected by an employment contract, you can be fired "at will". Most employees in the US don't belong to a union or have an employment contract and are employed "at will." Getting unemployment benefits is the only reason that you care about being terminated "for cause" or not "for cause."

Great answer Neil. This whole idea about being fired for any reason because you don't have a union is proposterous. Any public company is protected by the EEOC, OSHA, and Federal Guidelines. The main problems with unions is that most have outlived thier usefulness. They have refused to change with the global business climate and with the AFL-CIO have a full socialist agenda, which is the main reason Hoffa and the Teamsters split with the AFL-CIO.
All one needs to do is look at Right to Work States vs. Non and see the difference.

With this it will be interesting to see the next year of legislative action. The AFL-CIO is already beginning it's movement to force union membership and abolish right to work. They spent millions to get Obama in office and now wanting their payback before he is even sworn in. The President Elect is already having second thoughts on some campaign promises, thus peeing off some of the kook fringe, his appointments for example. This may be another, since we have already lost the majority of our manufacturing base due to our nations highest corporate tax in the world along with the AFL-CIO, voting the card law into effect may be the final nail in the coffin. Something tells me Obama is not that stupid.

[thedudewiththeplan]

I am not a fan of the "Right to Work" thing. I worked at the airport in ATL for a while and several of my co-workers were from Chicago and New York and told me they had set hours and benefits that they recieved from being in a union. They hated working in ATL because we were not given set hours, were forced to do many things with threats of being fired if they were not done, ect....

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by thedudewiththeplan

I am not a fan of the "Right to Work" thing. I worked at the airport in ATL for a while and several of my co-workers were from Chicago and New York and told me they had set hours and benefits that they recieved from being in a union. They hated working in ATL because we were not given set hours, were forced to do many things with threats of being fired if they were not done, ect....

Welcome to the real world that most of us live in, where you have to work hard and people get to tell you what to do and when. I can't speak for other companies, but the top performers are rewarded in my company, and the people that want to do the minimum get what they deserve.

When you have a union contract, generally things are leveled out to a least common denominator and unions enforce mediocrity as the norm. Poor performers get the same as top performers, so there is little to no reward for being a harder worker. Everyone works only as hard as the work rules in the contract say to work. That makes companies less productive and in the long run employees suffer. You only have to look to the current situation with the auto makers to see that play out.

[kayrob]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Welcome to the real world that most of us live in, where you have to work hard and people get to tell you what to do and when. I can't speak for other companies, but the top performers are rewarded in my company, and the people that want to do the minimum get what they deserve.

When you have a union contract, generally things are leveled out to a least common denominator and unions enforce mediocrity as the norm. Poor performers get the same as top performers, so there is little to no reward for being a harder worker. Everyone works only as hard as the work rules in the contract say to work. That makes companies less productive and in the long run employees suffer. You only have to look to the current situation with the auto makers to see that play out.

You're not lookong or at least not bringing up the other side of the coi where emplyers can also reward medoicrity by using nepotism or other froms of favoritism towards certain employees rather than rewarding on the basis of merit.

[Frankie117]

Originally Posted by kayrob

You're not lookong or at least not bringing up the other side of the coi where emplyers can also reward medoicrity by using nepotism or other froms of favoritism towards certain employees rather than rewarding on the basis of merit.

Technically it is their company, and the persons in question can manage their business how they see fit. Keep in mind that while yes it is your job and your workplace, a job is a privilege and not a right. Remember, you most likely sought them out for a job, not the other way around where it would be on your terms.