Employment-at-Will is a doctrine in the US Labor law, that allows Employers to terminate an employee without notice or warning, as long as it is not illegal (Summary of the Major Laws of the Department of Labor | U.S. Department of Labor, n.d.). They can also change the terms and conditions of the employment contract at will. This applies to the employees too – they can leave their jobs, strike, or cease to work for their employers. Although in most cases, they would need to give two weeks’ notice, it is possible for employees to resign at will. So here the employer and employee are in the work relation on their own volition. So, both the employee and the employer are on equal footing and engage in the relationship, ‘at will’!
With regards to the notice period, the employer is obligated only to follow the terms of the notice period they have stated in the contract. In cases of violence or poor performance, they can issue warnings, follow disciplinary processes, and can dismiss the employee. In cases, where the dismissal is illegal is when the reason is proven to be discrimination of any kind or violates any other law, such as disability law. In cases where the employment contract is drawn, both parties then, become obligated to fulfill the terms of the contract.
References List
Summary of the Major Laws of the Department of Labor | U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). US Government Department of Law. Retrieved April 30, 2021, from https://www.dol.gov/general/aboutdol/majorlaws
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