texas "at will" law
Please explain this Texas "at will" thing. What would be the best plan of action for a non-lawyerly type to have this law seriously viewed and rewritten. I do not need to contact a lawyer as I have already spoken with one.
1 answer | asked Apr 9, 2001 5:03 PM [EST] | applies to Texas
Answers (1)
Employment At Will - A Dated Concept
Over 100 years ago, the Texas Supreme Court decided that, since employers could not sue employees who quit, then employees should not be able to sue employers that fire them. The law is that, generally speaking, an employer can fire an employee for any reason at all -- or no reason at all -- and the employee has no legal rights to assert in court. It can be a good reason (the employee has engaged in theft), it can be a bad reason (nepotism, favoritism, personal jealousy, or whatever), or no reason at all (just acting on a whim). Since employees can quit for any reason -- good, bad, or no reason at all -- the law calls this employment "at will."
Your interest in getting the law changed is wonderful! It will not be an easy task, but it is a worthy cause. For starters, write your elected officials and tell them that this law is totally unfair, that it is contrary to the public policy of the people of this good State, and that you think the Legislature should enact some laws that get rid of this "at will" doctrine.
There is a national organization fighting for the rights of employees -- it's called the National Employee Rights Institute (NERI), and its web site is www.nerinet.org. Check it out. Or send an email to mail@nerinet.org.
posted by Margaret A. Harris | Apr 9, 2001 7:07 PM [EST]
Over 100 years ago, the Texas Supreme Court decided that, since employers could not sue employees who quit, then employees should not be able to sue employers that fire them. The law is that, generally speaking, an employer can fire an employee for any reason at all -- or no reason at all -- and the employee has no legal rights to assert in court. It can be a good reason (the employee has engaged in theft), it can be a bad reason (nepotism, favoritism, personal jealousy, or whatever), or no reason at all (just acting on a whim). Since employees can quit for any reason -- good, bad, or no reason at all -- the law calls this employment "at will."
Your interest in getting the law changed is wonderful! It will not be an easy task, but it is a worthy cause. For starters, write your elected officials and tell them that this law is totally unfair, that it is contrary to the public policy of the people of this good State, and that you think the Legislature should enact some laws that get rid of this "at will" doctrine.
There is a national organization fighting for the rights of employees -- it's called the National Employee Rights Institute (NERI), and its web site is www.nerinet.org. Check it out. Or send an email to mail@nerinet.org.
posted by Margaret A. Harris | Apr 9, 2001 7:07 PM [EST]
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