Define the employment-at-will doctrine, and describe the public policy exception to the employment-at-will doctrine.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is The employment-at-will doctrine holds that a contract of employment for an indeterminate term is terminable at will by either the employer or the employee. It is the traditional American rule governing employer-employee relations. The public policy exception to the employment-at-will doctrine prohibits terminations that contravene established public policy. "Public policy" varies from state to state, but some of the terminations commonly deemed unlawful include dismissals based on actions "in the public interest," such as participation in environmental or consumer protection activities, and dismissals resulting from whistleblowing.
Many states have also cut away at the employment-at-will doctrine with laws that specifically prohibit the termination of employees in retaliation for such diverse activities as serving jury duty, performing military service, filing for or testifying at hearings for worker's compensation claims, whistleblowing, and refusing to take lie-detector tests. A total of 43 states accept the public policy exception.

Define the Employment-At-Will Doctrine, and Describe the Public Policy Exception