Question of the Week
FEBRUARY 19, 2025
QUESTION

What is at-will employment?

ANSWER

At-will employment means that the employer or the employee can end the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, and with or without cause. It does not, however, allow an employer to terminate someone for an illegal reason, like their inclusion in a protected class or their exercise of a legal right.

Every state (except Montana) assumes the employment relationship is at-will unless there is a legal agreement in place that says otherwise. Assuming you want to maintain the at-will relationship with employees, we recommend including clear language about this in your employee handbook.

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This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.