Assignment 1: EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL DOCTRINE 1

Employment-At-Will Doctrine
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Assignment 1: EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL DOCTRINE ,
Employment-At-Will Doctrine
T&e employment-t-$ill 0octrine is legl r+ling s+pporte0 1y compnies t&t llo$s n
employer t&e 1ility to 0ismiss n employee 2or ny reson% ot&er t&n n illegl one or no reson%
$it&o+t legl li1ility3 T&e 0octrine llo$s n employee to le)e position or 4o1% t ny time%
$it&o+t reson )oi0 o2 ny legl conse5+ences 6!l1ert ' Ing+lli% ,#1,73 Wit& employment-t-
$ill% n employer &s t&e rig&t to c&nge its policies or terms o2 employment $it&o+t notice3
Wges or 1ene2its cn 1e ltere0 or re0+ce0 t ny time3 T&e 0octrine cn 1e mo0i2ie0 1y
contrcts 0r$n 1y t&e employer3 T&e contrct my speci2y t&e terms o2 employment or my
stte t&t ny termintion $ill 1e 2or speci2ic c+se s+c& s poor 4o1 per2ormnce or miscon0+ct
on t&e employee8s prt3 /ince t&e inception o2 employment-t-$ill% co+rts &)e m0e e9ceptions
to t&is r+le3 T&e min e9ceptions to employment-t-$ill incl+0e implie0 co)ennt o2 goo0 2it&%
implie0 contrct% n0 p+1lic policy3 T&e e9ception o2 p+1lic policy pre)ents termintion o2 n
employee 2or re2+sl to prticipte in n ct t&t is pro&i1ite0 1y stte l$% reporting o2 n ct t&t
)ioltes t&e l$% cts t&t re o2 p+1lic interest% or e9ercising ny rig&t o2 citi:en% s+c& s 2iling
$or;er8s compenstion clim3 Implie0 contrcts re crete0 sometimes orlly or t&ro+g&
lng+ge presente0 in t&e employee &n01oo; 2or compny3 T&ere my 1e some )er1l
ss+rnce 2rom n employer t&t n employee8s employment $ill not 1e terminte0 or some
proce0+re o+tline0 in t&e employee &n01oo; t&t gi)es n impliction t&e employer $ill not
terminte employment3 <inlly% implie0 co)ennt o2 goo0 2it& is 1se0 on pro&i1iting n
employer 2rom terminting employment 1se0 on spite or 10 2it&3 <or e9mple% n employer
termintes n ol0er employee to ;eep 2rom &)ing to py o+t &is=&er retirement 1ene2its3 T&is
e9ception pre)ents t&is 2rom occ+rring3
Along $it& t&e t&ree m4or e9ceptions% t&ere re t$o stt+tory e9ceptions to employment-
t-$ill% s+c& s illegl 0iscrimintion t&t is 1se0 on religion% rce% se9% ntionl origin% etc3> n0
Assignment 1: EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL DOCTRINE ,
retlition3 <e0erl n0 stte l$s re in plce to pro&i1it 0iscrimintion3 ?n0er t&e e9ception o2
retlition% n employer cnnot terminte n employee 2or climing compenstion 2or o)ertime%
prticipting in +nion% 2iling 2or $or;ers8 compenstion% or $&istle1lo$ing3 An employee is
protecte0 in t&e pri)te sector in some sttes 2rom 1eing terminte0 2or reporting n employer8s
$rong0oing or illegl ctions 6NC/L% ,#1.73 W&en t&ere re no stte l$ stt+tes in plce%
pri)te employees &)e to re)ie$ mny 0i22erent r+les to 0etermine i2 t&ey &)e cse t ll in
pro)ing $rong2+l termintion3
!)ing 1een ne$ly &ire0 s C&ie2 Operting O22icer 6COO7 $it& compny% se)erl
personnel iss+es &)e 1een 1ro+g&t 2ort&3 As res+lt% t&e employment-t-$ill 0octrine nee0s to
1e nly:e0 $it& ec& iss+e to concl+0e $&t co+rse o2 ction s&o+l0 1e t;en3 An e)l+tion o2
ny e9ceptions n0=or li1ilities $ill nee0 to 1e 00resse0 to ens+re ec& sit+tion is properly
&n0le0 n0 no impct on opertions3 <+rt&ermore% t&ere is no $&istle1lo$er policy in plce 2or
t&e compny3 A 0ecision $ill nee0 to 1e m0e $&et&er or not t&e compny s&o+l0 implement
s+c& policy3
Iss+e N+m1er One
*o&n &s 0eci0e0 to p+1licly rnt &is 2eelings 1o+t one o2 o+r most )l+1le clients 1y
posting t&ose 2eelings on &is socil me0i pge3 <irst% t&e &+mn reso+rces representti)e s&o+l0
1e cons+lte0 to e)l+te i2 o+r compny &s in plce policy t&t 00resses employee con0+ct on
socil me0i net$or;ing3 Ne9t% $e s&o+l0 recei)e copy o2 t&e sttement m0e 1y *o&n3 ?n0er
t&e employment-t-$ill 0octrine% t&ere re certin protecte0 cti)ities t&t s&o+l0 1e re)ie$e0 to
0etermine i2 *o&n s&o+l0=s&o+l0 not 1e terminte0 6!l1ert ' Ing+lli% ,#1,73 In t&is prtic+lr
sit+tion% *o&n 0eci0e0 to p+1licly critici:e o+r most importnt c+stomer3 Employees re
representti)es o2 t&e compny3 !is ctions mig&t imply to t&e p+1lic t&t &is opinions re t&e
opinions o2 o+r compny3 T&e sttement s&o+l0 1e e)l+te0 to 0etermine i2 *o&n $s )enting or
Assignment 1: EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL DOCTRINE ,
i2 &e $s relly trying to impro)e on somet&ing3 Content crete0 in rnt re2lects on t&e
compny3 @se0 on t&e +tilitrinism et&ics t&eory% in sit+tion $&ere t&ere re mny
st;e&ol0ers in)ol)e0% n e)l+tion o2 t&e conse5+ences% 1ot& goo0 n0 10% m+st 1e 0one3 T&e
0ecision &s to 1e 2or t&e o)erll goo0 o2 t&e entire orgni:tion internlly n0 e9ternlly3 T&e
impct o2 *o&n8s sttements o+t$eig&s t&e goo0 in t&is sit+tion3 @se0 on t&e Ntionl L1or
Reltions Act% *o&n8s ctions $ere m0e on &is o$n 1e&l2 n0 not s gro+p 6R+1in ' /tit%
,#1173 Only go)ernment is restricte0 2rom limiting speec&3 Wit& t&is 1eing pri)te compny%
$e cn recommen0 termintion o2 t&is employee3 To mitigte ny 2+t+re occ+rrences n0 to
ens+re ll employees re ligne0 $it& t&e co0e o2 et&ics n0 stn0r0 o2 con0+ct o2 t&e compny%
t&e compny $ill implement ne$ policy% 0etiling t&e compny8s co0e o2 et&ics n0 stn0r0s o2
con0+ct n0 its )ie$ on socil me0i net$or;ing3 T&e compny $ill lso pro)i0e trining to ec&
employee on complince% re5+iring ll employees to sign ttesttion sttements in greement3
Iss+e N+m1er T$o
*im $s 0isplese0 1o+t t&e compny8s c&nge in t&e sc&e0+les 2or commissions n0
1on+ses3 !e )oice0 t&ose concerns in protest t&ro+g& emil to ot&er employees% s+ggesting
1oycott o2 t&e ne9t sles meeting3 W&en +sing compny emil% t&ere is normlly no pri)cy n0
t&e compny &s rig&t to ;eep s+r)eillnce o2 emil cco+nts3 ?n0er employment-t-$ill% t&e
compny is llo$e0 to c&nge n0=or re0+ce compenstion t ny time n0 2or ny reson 6R+1in
' /tit% ,#1173 Also% t&ere is no )ioltion o2 p+1lic policy3 In t&is sit+tion% *im co+l0 1e
terminte0 2or mis+se o2 t&e compny emil system3 !o$e)er% t&ere is greter goo0 t&t $o+l0
come o+t o2 t&is 1y not terminting *im3 ?n0er +tilitrinism% t&e 0ecision t&t $o+l0 res+lt in
t&e gretest goo0 $o+l0 1e to )er1lly reprimn0 *im 2or &is tctics3 In 00ition to t&e )er1l
reprimn0% t&e compny s&o+l0 &ol0 meeting $it& ll slespeople to 0isc+ss e)eryone8s opinion
on t&e c&nge3 T&e meeting s&o+l0 1e &el0 in n en)ironment t&t $elcomes 0i22erences o2
Assignment 1: EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL DOCTRINE ,
opinion n0 2osters $illingness o2 mngement to entertin ot&er i0es o2 1etter compenstion
sc&e0+le to 1e consi0ere03 A s+r)ey s&o+l0 1e 0istri1+te0 to scertin t&e o)erll opinion o2 t&e
ne$ sc&e0+les n0 to g+ge &o$ mny $o+l0 1e $illing to o22er some s+ggestions3 T&is e22ort
$o+l0 empo$er t&e employees to 2eel s i2 t&eir opinions n0 2eelings mtter to t&e compny3 I2
employees &)e t&e compny 1e&in0 t&em% t&ey re more $illing to 0o t&e $or;3
Iss+e N+m1er T&ree
Ellen is not &ppy 1o+t t&e CEO recei)ing 1on+s n0 strte0 1log in protest3 On &er
1log% s&e stte0 no one lo$er t&n 0irector &s recei)e0 rise in t&e lst t$o yers3 !er
sttements lso 0epicte0 &er 1osses s people $&o ;ne$ not&ing n0 $ere o+t o2 to+c&3 ?n0er
employment-t-$ill% t&ere re no pprent e9ceptions t&t $o+l0 pre)ent t&e compny 2rom
terminting Ellen3 Ellen is $riting on t&is 1log on &er o$n 1e&l2 n0 not $it& t&e colition o2
gro+p o2 employees3 Ellen% &o$e)er% is 1ringing to lig&t sit+tion t&t s&o+l0 1e t&oro+g&ly
in)estigte0 1y t&e compny to con2irm t&ere is in0ee0 0iscrepncy in 1on+ses 1y t&e compny3
In lig&t o2 t&is% Ellen s&o+l0 1e recommen0e0 2or termintion3 ?tilitrinism t&eory pro)i0es t&t
it $o+l0 1e o2 2r greter 1ene2it to t&e compny ;eep &er t&n to terminte &er3 T&e Ntionl
L1or Reltions @or0 sserts t&t n employee8s p+1lic complints 1o+t n employer8s 1e&)ior
$it&o+t gro+p cti)ity re not protecte0 cti)ity +n0er t&e Ntionl L1or Reltions Act 6R+1in
' /tit% ,#1173 !o$e)er% it8s 1est to 0isc+ss t&e complint $it& t&e employee to 1egin n
in)estigtion into t&e iss+e3 T&e compny s&o+l0 2orm &otline% i2 necessry% to e)l+te
sit+tions s+c& s t&is to 0etermine t&e )li0ity3 I2 t&e compny $ere to terminte Ellen% t&e
sit+tion mig&t ne)er 1e )li0te0 n0 t&e imge o2 t&e compny mig&t 1e trnis&e0 i2 t&e
llegtions $ere 2o+n0 to 1e tr+e n0 not&ing $s 0one to recti2y t&e sit+tion3
Iss+e N+m1er <o+r
Assignment 1: EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL DOCTRINE ,
T&e compny &s 2o+n0 o+t @ill &s 1een +sing t&e @lc;1erry iss+e0 1y t&e compny to
con0+ct &is si0e 1+siness3 T&e compny &s t&e rig&t to monitor compny iss+e0 property3
!+mn reso+rces s&o+l0 2irst 1e cons+lte0 to 0etermine i2 t&e employee mn+l &s speci2ic
lng+ge t&t spe;s to specil 0isciplinry proce0+res 1e2ore termintion3 T&e compny &s t&e
rig&t to terminte @ill 2or $sting $or; time n0 mis+se o2 compny property3 T&e 0ecision
$o+l0 1e 1se0 on t&e t&eory o2 0eontology $&ere person8s c&oices re 1se0 on set o2 rig&ts
n0 0+ties t&ey 0&ere to3 Most compnies $&en iss+ing compny property &)e n implie0 r+le
t&e property s&o+l0 1e 2or compny 1+siness% not personl3 T&e compny going 2or$r0 s&o+l0
ens+re t&ere is n e9plicit policy% my1e $ritten greement t&t is signe0 1y t&e employee $&en
property% s+c& s p&one is 1eing iss+e0 to t&e employee3 T&is greement s&o+l0 o+tline r+les
t&e employee s&o+l0 2ollo$ $&ile t&e property is in &is=&er possession3
Iss+e N+m1er <i)e
T&e cco+nting 0eprtment secretries 0resse0 in 1lc; n0 $&ite stripes in protest o2
memo t&t nno+nce0 specil ;eylogger so2t$re &s 1een instlle0 on ll compny comp+ters3
?n0er employment-t-$ill% t&e compny &s rig&t to instll ny so2t$re it pleses on t&e
compny property3 ?nless t&e compny &s speci2ic 0ress co0e% t&e secretries re not in
)ioltion o2 ny policies set 2ort& 1y t&e compny3 T&e protest is not t;ing $y 2rom t&eir $or;
per2ormnce or pro0+cti)ity 2or t&e 0y3 T&ey re lso cting s gro+p in protest n0 not
in0i)i0+lly3 /o% t&eir gro+p cti)ity $o+l0 1e protecte0 cti)ity +n0er t&e NLRA% s&o+l0 t&ey
+se t&t e9ception s gro+n0s 2or $rong2+l termintion3 T&e et&icl t&eory o2 +tilitrinism
s&o+l0 1e +se0 s 1sis 2or t&e 0ecision to not terminte t&e secretries3 T&ere is n opport+nity
to limit li1ility in t&is scenrio n0 t&e impct on opertions 1y meeting $it& t&e secretries n0
mngement to 0isc+ss t&eir resons 2or protest n0 1rinstorm i0es so t&eir 2eelings re &er03
Assignment 1: EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL DOCTRINE ,
In most cses o2 t&is nt+re% employees 4+st $nt to &er t&t t&eir 2eelings mtter to t&e compny
6NC/L% ,#1.7
Iss+e N+m1er /i9
*oe is t&retening to s+e t&e compny 2or in)sion o2 &is pri)cy 2ter &e &s 1een
0iscipline0 2or &is criticism o2 c+stomer )i emil t&t $s sent 2rom &is o$n emil cco+nt on
t&e compny comp+ter3 *oe &s lre0y 1een 0iscipline0 2or &is ctions3 I2 t&e compny
terminte0 *oe t t&is time% implie0 co)ennt o2 goo0 2it& mig&t 1e compromise03 T&is mens
terminting *oe mig&t 1e )ie$e0 s 1eing spite2+l3 @ec+se *oe is only t&retening to s+e t&e
compny t t&is point% 2rom t&e )ie$point o2 +tilitrinism t&eory o2 et&ics% t&e compny s&o+l0
meet $it& *oe to resol)e ny iss+es to )oi0 ny litigtion 2rom occ+rring3
Iss+e N+m1er /e)en
A 0eprtment s+per)isor $nts ppro)l to 2ire &is secretry% citing ins+1or0intion3
@ec+se t&e secretry &s l$ys gotten &ig& per2ormnce re)ie$s% meeting is sc&e0+le0 to
0isc+ss t&e iss+e3 As res+lt% it is 0etermine0 s&e re2+se0 to 2lsi2y e9pense reports 2or &er
s+per)isor3 Appro)l o2 termintion s&o+l0 not 1e grnte0 in t&is sit+tion s t&is is pre)ente0
+n0er t&e employment-t-$ill e9ception o2 p+1lic policy 6NC/L% ,#1.73 It is not l$2+l to 2lsi2y
ny 0oc+ments3 <rom t&e spect o2 +tilitrinism% t&ere re 2r too mny conse5+ences to
terminting t&e secretry in t&is cse3 Inste0% t&ere s&o+l0 1e 2orml in)estigtion internlly o2
t&e s+per)isor8s ctions n0 1+se o2 po$er3 T&e opport+nity presents itsel2 to +nco)er ot&er
cts or potentil cts o2 t&is nt+re3 T&e compny s&o+l0 implement complince progrm t&t
trins ll employees incl+0ing mngement in t&e stn0r0s +n0er $&ic& t&e compny go)erns
itsel23 T&ere s&o+l0 lso 1e nn+l re2res&er trining on complince n0 t&e )l+es t&e compny
&s n0 e9pects o2 its employees3
Iss+e N+m1er Eig&t
Assignment 1: EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL DOCTRINE ,
One o2 t&e s+per)isors $nts to recommen0 termintion o2 Ann 2or 1eing o+t 2rom $or;
$it&o+t &is ppro)l% t&o+g& t&e 1sence $s 0+e to 4+ry 0+ty3 /&e &0 s;e0 o22 0+e to 4+ry
0+ty in 0)nce 1+t &e 0i0 not $nt to ppro)e it3 All citi:ens &)e rig&t to ser)e 4+ry 0+ty n0
it is p+1lic policy e9ception to terminte n employee 1ec+se t&ey re e9ercising t&t rig&t
6NC/L% ,#1.73 To limit ny li1ility n0 impct to opertions% t&e compny s&o+l0 ens+re &+mn
reso+rces con0+cts compre&ensi)e trining 2or mngement to re)ie$ policy n0 proce0+res t&e
compny 2ollo$s% s $ell s reg+ltions3 ?pper le)el mngement n0 &+mn reso+rces s&o+l0
meet personlly $it& Ann8s 1oss to re)ie$ &is ctions n0 to ens+re &e +n0erstn0s reg+ltions
n0 policy3 T&is 0ecision is 1se0 on 0eontology% 1eing t&t t&is p+1lic policy is +ni)ersl to
e)eryone n0 t&e 0ecision m0e &s 2r rec&ing e22ect on ll $it&in t&e compny3 T&e $y t&is
sit+tion is &n0le0 +ltimtely impcts e)eryone in t&e compny 6!l1ert ' Ing+lli% ,#1,73
@se0 on t&e personnel iss+es presente0 to t&e COO% it is in t&e compny8s 1est interest to
instit+te $&istle1lo$er policy3 W&istle1lo$ing occ+rs $&en n employee 1rings ttention to
potentil $rong0oing $it&in t&e compny 6!l1ert ' Ing+lli% ,#1,73 @y &n0ling iss+es
internlly% compny )oi0s t&e negti)e impct sit+tion mig&t present n0 t&e 0mge t&t
mig&t 1e inc+rre0 s&o+l0 t&e inci0ent go p+1lic3 Cses re 0oc+mente0 $&ere person &s
1ro+g&t ttention to $rong0oing $it&in t&e compny% terminte0% t&en +pon 2iling cse 2or
$rong2+l termintion% recei)e0 compenstion 1ec+se t&e $rong0oing $s )li0te0 n0 not
00resse0 1y t&e compny 6@rnett% 1AA,73 It is 1ecoming more necessry 2or compny to &)e
some type o2 $&istle1lo$er policy in plce 0+e to t&e increse0 n+m1er o2 2e0erl l$s psse0 to
protect $&istle1lo$er3 In 1A-A% t&e W&istle1lo$er8s Protection Act $s psse0 +n0er t&e @+s&
A0ministrtion3 /tte $&istle1lo$er policies re incresing s $ell3 T&e policy $ill $or; s long
s t&ere re t lest t&ree 2+n0mentl points incl+0e0 in t&e policy3 <irst% it &s to 1e more t&n
4+st policy on pper3 !)e cler sttement t&t t&e compny 2ollo$s t&is policy 1y &)ing
Assignment 1: EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL DOCTRINE ,
e)eryone incl+0ing mngement complete trining clsses t&t re)ie$ t&e policy3 /econ0% 1y
incl+0ing mngement in trining% t&is s&o$s e)eryone it is s+pporte0 1y t&e entire compny3
!)e mngers incl+0e re)ie$ o2 complince policies in t&eir st22 meetings n0 0i)ision meetings
so employees see &o$ importnt t&e policy is3 T&ir0% ens+re open comm+niction n0 &onesty
$it&in t&e compny 1y est1lis&ing 2orml process 2or reporting in $rong0oing s+c& s
complince &otline monitore0 1y n o+tsi0e 2irm to ens+re iss+es re 1ro+g&t to t&e compny8s
ttention n0 t&e iss+es re t;en serio+sly 1y &)ing t&em in)estigte0 1y t&e o+tsi0e 2irm n0
reporte0 1c; to employees )i cse st+0ies in t&e nn+l trining sessions3
Wit& ny compny% personnel iss+es $ill rise3 To 0e5+tely 00ress ec& sit+tion% n
o22icer s&o+l0 ens+re ec& sit+tion is properly nly:e0 n0 e)l+te0 1se0 on employment-t-
$ill3 @y properly e)l+ting t&e compny8s rig&ts n0 limittions +n0er t&e l$% it ens+res legl
rmi2ictions re minimi:e03
Re2erences
@rnett% T3 61AA,73 W&y Yo+r Compny /&o+l0 !)e A W&istle1lo$ing Policy3 SAM Advanced
Management Journal (07497075); 57(4), 37.
!l1ert% T3% ' Ing+lli% E3 6,#1,73 Law et!"c# "n t!e $u#"ne## env"ronment 6B
t&
e0373 Mson%
O!: /o+t&-Western Cengge Lerning3
Ntionl Con2erence o2 /tte Legislt+res% 6,#1.73 T&e At Will Pres+mption n0 E9ceptions to
t&e R+le3 %at"onal &on'erence o' State Leg"#lature#. Retrie)e0 on *+ly ,B% ,#1. 2rom
&ttp:==$$$3ncsl3org=iss+es-reserc&=l1or=t-$ill-employment-o)er)ie$3sp9
Assignment 1: EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL DOCTRINE ,
R+1in% !3 ' /tit% D3% /eptem1er A% ,#113 Legl Cie$: W&en Cn An Employer <ire An
Employee O)er An O22ensi)e <ce1oo; PostingD (etro"t Legal %ew#. Retrie)e0 on *+ly
,B% ,#1. 2rom &ttp:==$$$3leglne$s3com=0etroit=1#B#,B,