What does “at will” employment mean?
Without an employment contract or union or other collectively bargained contract, Maryland law generally considers workers to be employees “at will.” Without a contract, an employer may hire and fire employees and determine all aspects of workers employment at his or her will as along as the employer does not violate any other law. For example, an employer may discharge a 20-year veteran employee for a good reason, bad reason, or no reason at all, if it is not for a discriminatory or other unlawful reason. Even without a specific signed employment contract, some personnel manuals and other company policies, practices, and documents may be interpreted as creating contractual rights. Oral promises to provide certain benefits or wages in order to persuade someone to accept employment may also be considered to create such rights. Whether a contract has been created depends on the facts and circumstances of each case. If a specific written contract exists, either an individual employment co
A. In California employees are considered to work “at will” and employers often state that their employees are “at will employees in their employment manuals. Simply stated, an employee may be terminated for good cause (reason) or for no cause (or reason), but cannot be terminated for “bad cause”.
