Question

Texas is considered an "at-will' employment state.

Discuss and support your opinion of employment at will. Include in your discussion:

1) What is employment at will?

2) Are there any restrictions?

3) What are your supported thoughts on the ethics of this practice?

Answer 1

At will employment, refers to the doctrine according to that, employer can terminate any employee without giving any notice or any valid reasons other than the few exceptions. On a similar note, an employee can also leave the job without giving a proper reason or notice to the employer.
Though, at will employment is used by the employers, but there are certain exceptions or restrictions used where it cannot be used. The first restriction is the discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion and ethnicity to fire somebody from the job. The second restriction is the public policy exceptions. For example, any employee reporting the case of fraud in the organization, cannot be fired at will as it is against the public policy. The third restriction is the presence of implied contract. For example, employer convincing the employee to give good opportunity of work, keep good employee in the job or similar promises form the implied contract and in this case at will termination cannot happen. The fourth restriction is promissory estoppel where employer, convinced the employee for a longer period of job, good job conditions, promises were foreseeable and employee believed upon these assurances. In this case, at will employment may not work.
To Support the employment at will approach in the job, I would like to say that no employer fires an employee that is good at work or that brings business to the organization. So, it is an effective doctrine that helps the organization to get rid of those who are not performing or causing losses to the organization. In this scenario, the doctrine is ethical as it benefits not only the performing employees in the organization, but also the economy as the doctrine helps organization to continue its business and keep employing deserving candidates.