Running Head: AT-WILL TERMINATION 1

At-Will Termination: Taking Matters Into My Hands

Tremayne Dais
!trayer "niersity
#$%$1%
&ro'essor M()lanna*an
AT-WILL TERMINATION +
At-Will Termination: Taking Matters Into My Hands
Re(ently-*ired as t*e )*ie' O,erating O''i(er -)OO. in a midsi/e (om,any ,re,aring 'or an
Initial &u0li( O''ering -I&O.1 I dis(oered multi,le ,ersonnel ,ro0lems2 I must gie t*e ,ro0lems
immediate attention2 I 3ill need to (onsider i' any o' t*e em,loyees *ae a(ted in 3ays t*at
mig*t re4uire termination o' em,loyment2 In seeral instan(es1 termination may 0e a,,ro,riate5
*o3eer1 termination in ot*er instan(es 3ould iolate (ommon la3 e6(e,tions to t*e at-3ill
em,loyment la3s2 At-3ill allo3s an em,loyer to terminate an em,loyee at any time 'or any
reason -to in(lude no reason. 3it*out legal rami'i(ations2 At t*e same time1 an em,loyee may
remoe *imsel' 'rom a 7o0 at-3ill 3it*out 'ear o' aderse (onse4uen(es2 8At-3ill also means
t*at an em,loyer (an (*ange t*e terms o' t*e em,loyment relations*i, 3it* no noti(e and no
(onse4uen(es2 9or e6am,le1 an em,loyer (an alter 3ages1 terminate 0ene'its1 or redu(e ,aid
time o'': -Mu*l1 )2;21 +<<11 ,2 %.2
=elo31 I *ae listed a ,otential em,loyment issue and my re(ommendation:
>;o*n ,osted a rant on *is 9a(e0ook ,age in 3*i(* *e (riti(i/ed t*e (om,any?s most im,ortant
(ustomer2
W*ile most (om,anies dis(ourage em,loyees 'rom (om,laining a0out t*eir em,loyer1 re(ent
legislation suggests t*at terminating em,loyees 'or su(* a(tions mig*t 4uali'y 'or ,rote(ted
(on(erted a(tiity2 Ho3eer1 ;o*n did not merely (riti(i/e a (o-3orker1 a su,erisor1 or een t*e
entire (om,any2 Instead1 *e (riti(i/ed t*e (om,any?s most im,ortant (ustomer2 T*us1 ;o*n 3ill
0e re(ommended 'or termination2 His a(tions (learly 7eo,ardi/e ,u0li(
relations1 ,rodu(tiity1 and organi/ational (ulture -=ayer1 D2 L21+<1+1 ,2 1@1.2
>;im sent an email to ot*er sales,eo,le ,rotesting a (*ange in (ommission s(*edules and 0onuses
and suggesting eeryone 0oy(ott t*e ne6t sales meeting2
;im is ,ermitted to (om,lain a0out (ommission s(*edules and 0onuses t*roug* email2
Ho3eer1 *e may not en(ourage serious disru,tion to organi/ational stru(ture2 !uggesting t*at
eeryone 0oy(ott t*e ne6t sales meeting *as t*e ,otential to 7eo,ardi/e ,rodu(tion and
organi/ational (ulture2 T*is is o''ense mig*t (all 'or terminationAit (ertainly 3arrants a
dis(ussion 3it* ;im2 I' *e is 3illing to reoke *is re4uest 'or a 0oy(ott1 *e may kee, *is 7o02 T*is
situation mig*t not 0e 3ort* t*e ,otential la3suit t*at ;im mig*t 'ile (iting re(ent so(ial media
(ases2
>Ellen started a 0log to ,rotest t*e )EO?s 0onus1 noting t*at no one 0elo3 dire(tor *as gotten a
raise in t3o -+. years and ,ortraying *er 0osses as 8kno3-not*ings: and 8out-o'-tou(*:
Ellen?s (ase is 4uite similar to t*e 9a(e0ook 9iring (ase o' +<1<2 T*e National La0or
Relations =oard -NLR=. (laimed t*at em,loyees *ae t*e rig*t to (om,lain a0out t*eir 0osses
t*roug* so(ial media as it is ,rote(ted s,ee(*2 8T*e NLRA ,rote(ts em,loyeesB rig*t to dis(uss
Cterms and (onditions o' t*eir em,loyment 3it* (o-3orkers and ot*ers?: -=ayer1 D2 L21 +<1+1 ,2
1.2 Ellen?s 0log 3ould 0e (onsidered e6tremely (lose to t*e 9a(e0ook ,osting in t*e +<1< (ase
3*i(* (riti(i/ed 8a su,erisor 3it* res,e(t to C3ages1 *ours and 3orking (onditionsDB -=ayer1 D2
L21 +<1+1 ,2 E.2
>=ill *as 0een using *is (om,any-issued =la(k=erry to run *is o3n 0usiness on t*e side2
)om,any ,oli(y di(tates t*at (om,any-issued e4ui,ment s*ould not 0e used 'or non-
(om,any 0usiness2 =ill (ould (ertainly 0e terminated5 *o3eer1 my re(ommendation 'or t*is
AT-WILL TERMINATION E
s(enario is to remind =ill o' t*is ,oli(y and o''er a 3arning2 My rationale *ere is 0ased on t*e
assum,tion t*at =ill 3as (ondu(ting t*is 0usiness on *is o3n time2 I' =ill 3as running *is side
0usiness during (om,any *ours on (om,any e4ui,ment1 *e 3ould 0e terminated2
>T*e se(retaries in t*e a((ounting de,artment de(ided to dress in 0la(k-and-3*ite stri,es to
,rotest a memo announ(ing t*at t*e (om,any *as installed keylogger so't3are on all (om,any
(om,uters2
9reedom o' s,ee(* a,,lies to t*is s(enario2 Em,loyees are 'ree to (riti(i/e (om,any ,oli(ies2
>A'ter 0eing dis(i,lined 'or (riti(i/ing a (ustomer in an email -sent 'rom *is ,ersonal email
a((ount on a (om,any (om,uter.1 ;oe t*reatens to sue t*e (om,any 'or inasion o' ,ria(y2
;oe mig*t do some resear(*2 His ,ria(y 3as not iolated as ,ersonal emails sent 'rom a
(om,any (om,uter are not ,rote(ted2 8On Mar(* E<1 +<1<1 t*e Ne3 ;ersey !u,reme )ourt ruled
t*at attorneys 'or an em,loyer iolated t*e ,ria(y rig*ts o' a 'ormer em,loyee and t*e rules o'
,ro'essional (ondu(t 0y reading emails t*e em,loyee sent to *er (ounsel on a (om,any la,to,
t*roug* *er ,ersonal ,ass3ord-,rote(ted Fa*oo email a((ount: -Tra(king1 +<1<1 ,2 1.2
>One o' t*e de,artment su,erisors re4uests your a,,roal to 'ire *is se(retary 'or
insu0ordination2 !in(e t*e se(retary *as al3ays re(eied glo3ing reie3s1 you (all *er into your
o''i(e and determine t*at s*e *as re'used to ,re,are 'alse e6,ense re,orts 'or *er 0oss2
Re,orting a((ounting 'raud is ,rote(ted under 9lorida?s 3*istle0lo3ing A(t2 T*e se(retary
3ill not 0e 'ired5 instead1 *er su,erisor 3ill undergo an internal inestigation2 I' (laims o' 'raud
are eri'ied1 t*e su,erisor 3ill 0e terminated2
>Anna?s 0oss re'used to sign *er leae re4uest 'or 7ury duty and no3 3ants to 'ire *er 'or 0eing
a0sent 3it*out ,ermission2
T*e most 3idely re(ogni/ed (ommon la3 e6(e,tion to t*e at-3ill ,resum,tion ,rote(ts
em,loyees against aderse em,loyment a(tions t*at iolate a ,u0li( interest2 9our (ategories
e6ist in terms o' ,u0li( ,oli(y e6em,tion2 One o' t*ese e6em,tions a,,lies to Anna?s situation:
engaging in a(ts t*at are in t*e ,u0li( interest2 Attending 7ury duty or re,orting to resere
military o,erations are e6am,les o' t*is e6em,tion2 T*us1 Anna 3ill not 0e 'ired2 In order to limit
lia0ility1 t*e manager 3*o suggested Anna 0e 'ired 3ill 0e s(*ooled on all o' t*e e6em,tions to
at-3ill em,loyment la32
T*e state o' 9lorida *as a W*istle0lo3er a(t t*at ,roides ,rote(tion to em,loyees 3*o
su0mit (om,laints or (laims inoling t*e mis(ondu(t o' em,loyers2 I 3ould re(ommend to t*e
)EO o' my (om,any t*at 3e ado,t a 3*istle0lo3er ,oli(y2 T*is re(ommendation is 0ased on t*e
idea t*at (om,anies t*at 0uild strong (or,orate (ultures do so 0y *iring and maintaining
em,loyees 3*o 0eliee in and lie 0y t*e (om,any?s (ode o' et*i(s2 =uilding a 3*istle0lo3ing
system 'or em,loyees to re,ort instan(es o' 3rongdoing or mis(ondu(t 3it*in t*e (om,any
en(ourages em,loyees to do t*e rig*t t*ing 3it*out 'ear o' re,er(ussion2 Like3ise1 all em,loyees
are 'urt*er en(ouraged to a0ide 0y rules ,ut in ,la(e2
A 3*istle0lo3er ,oli(y must in(lude seeral 'undamental items2 9irst1 t*e ,oli(y must
(om,lement t*e (om,any?s (ode o' et*i(s2 Ty,i(ally1 all em,loyees read and a(kno3ledge t*eir
understanding o' (om,any ,oli(ies1 ,ro(edures1 and et*i(al (onsiderations2 T*e 3*istle 0lo3er
,oli(y s*ould align 3it* t*ese as all em,loyees agree to maintain t*ese rules1 et(2 89or e6am,le1
AT-WILL TERMINATION %
=arnett et al2 -1GGE. 'ound t*at em,loyees dis(losed more 3rongdoings 3*en (om,anies *ad
internal ,oli(ies in ,la(e and !omers -+<<1. 'ound t*at (om,anies 3it* et*i(al (odes
e6,erien(ed 'e3er 3rongdoings: -Lee1 H21 I 9arg*er1 N21 +<1E1 ,2 +JK.2 In addition1 t*e
(om,any must esta0lis* an anonymous *otline 'or 3*istle 0lo3ers to re,ort t*eir (on(erns2 8In
order to ,roide an e''e(tie 3*istle 0lo3ing system1 it is e6,e(ted t*at (om,anies 3ould
,roide em,loyees 3it* a *ig* leel o' dis(losure regarding t*e 3*istle-0lo3ing ,ro(ess: -Lee1
H21 I 9arg*er1 N21 +<1E1 ,2 +J%.2 9inally1 t*e 3*istle 0lo3er ,oli(y s*ould 0e ,u0li(ly adertised
in ne3sletters1 internal mailings1 and t*e (om,any 3e0site2
Re'eren(es
=ayer1 D2 L2 -+<1+.2 Em,loyers are not 'riends 3it* 'a(e0ook: *o3 t*e NLR= is ,rote(ting
em,loyeesB so(ial media a(tiity2 Brooklyn Journal Of Corporate, Financial & Commercial
Law1 @-1.1 1KG-1G%2
Lee1 H21 I 9arg*er1 N2 -+<1E.2 )om,aniesB "se o' W*istle-=lo3ing to Dete(t 9raud: An
E6amination o' )or,orate W*istle-=lo3ing &oli(ies2 ;ournal O' =usiness Et*i(s1 11%-+.1
+JE-+G#2 doi:1<21<<@$s1<##1-<1+-1E%J-G
Mu*l1 )2 ;2 -;anuary +<<1.2 8T*e Em,loyment-At-Will Do(trine: T*ree Ma7or E6(e,tions1:
Monthly Labor Review ,2E-112
AT-WILL TERMINATION #
Tra(king WorkersB Eery Moe )an =oost &rodu(tiity - and !tress -Los Angeles Times1 A,ril
J1 +<1E. *tt,:$$3332latimes2(om$0usiness$la-'i-*ars*-3ork-te(*-+<1E<%<J1<1K#JG#@1'ull2story