if an employer fires a worker at will, how is that not legal?

Question

I thought a company can fire anyone, anytime if they think they can manage without the worker. But lately I keep reading articles, where some fired person later files lawsuit for "improper job termination" and many times they win the suit, ending up being paid around 6 digits or beyond 6 digits.

if that's going to be the end result, why would a company then fire? wouldn't it be better off to keep the worker then to fire and pay somewhere like 100,000 dollars in settlement?

also what is "improper job termination" ? i keep hearing this phrase a lot.

Answer 1

It depends if you live in an at will state or not. What is your state? Now i have heard and i do know people who are having there hours cut back to 28 due to the new health care law, but that was the democrats who caused that. When and employer can no longer terminate its employees it is no long an independent company, but a branch of the government.

Answer 2

In most cases, an employer in an at will state can fire an employee for anything not on a very short list of protected people (age, race, gender, disability, religion, familial status, national origin, veteran status,genetic ininformation, and in some states lbgt status). People can sue and win too much; I know a woman who is on permanent partial disability for PTSD (a valid cause in general) because a goose bit her! Now she wasn't fired, but we'll pay for her anyway.

Answer 3

Wrongful termination happens when an employee is discharged from employment for illegal reasons (race, gender, religion, age, or refusing to do something illegal) or if company policy or a contract is violated when the employee is fired.

Answer 4

true, the republicans created all these "at will" states. which means that you can be fired for any reason..or no reason. but if they actually GIVE you a reason..then the employee may have grounds to sue.



So if the employer just says "we have to let you go" the employee cannot sue

Answer 5

It IS legal in many states that are saddled with "at-will" employment laws on their books. You could get fired because the boss's wife hates your aunt's manicurist, and it's all perfectly legal.

Answer 6

havent you learned, we live in a backwards society, where the bad guy gets all the rewards an the good guy gets all the punishments, an you are guilty until proven innocent

Answer 7

that only works in the realm of government labor unions.......