At-will Employment

At-will employment is a common employment arrangement in the United States where either the employer or the employee can terminate the working relationship at any time, for any reason, or even for no reason at all, without prior notice or justification. This means:

• Employers can dismiss employees without needing to establish "just cause" or provide a reason.
• Employees can leave their jobs freely without obligation to explain or give notice.

This arrangement offers flexibility for both parties: employers can quickly adjust their workforce based on business needs, and employees have the freedom to change jobs as they wish.

However, there are important exceptions to at-will employment. Employers cannot terminate employees for unlawful reasons, such as discrimination based on age, race, sex, disability, religion, or retaliation for protected activities. Additionally, some states have created exceptions or limitations to the at-will doctrine, and the existence of express or implied employment contracts can override at-will status by specifying terms for termination.

In practice, many employers include at-will disclaimers in employee handbooks to clarify this status, although certain language in these disclaimers may be challenged by labor authorities.

In summary, at-will employment means a flexible, generally terminable-at-any-time relationship, but it is bounded by legal protections against wrongful termination and may be modified by contracts or state laws.