E-At-Will Case Summary

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Anyone can be fired at any time without a reason in a state which is considered an employment-at-will state. E-at-will implies an employer may fire an employee without cause (Harcourt & Hannay, 2013). As well as an employee can leave an employer at any time without a reason. It is vital for an employee to understand the law does not always protect them from being fired. On the other hand, the employer must understand they cannot fire an employee for an illegal reason. Employee is protected by the law with exceptions surrounding legal and public policy.
Scenario 1: False Expense Reports
One of the department supervisors requests your approval to fire his secretary for insubordination. Since the secretary has always received glowing reviews, you call her into your office and determine that she has refused to prepare false expense reports for her boss.
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Exceptions to the employment-at-will doctrine regarding public policy emphasize the refusal of an employee to participate in criminal activity. The department supervisor’s expense report was fabricated therefore he was paid knowing the information is incorrect. The money from the expense report would not be rightfully his. Since he knew and was accepting of the fabricated amount fed stealing which is a criminal activity. “Such professional employees may feel ethically compelled to become whistleblowers, and may feel that they run the risk of professional discipline if they do not make disclosures of misconduct that affect the public safety or welfare (Staley, 1994).” The secretary refusing to contribute to an illegal act will not be dismissed by the common law rules of employment-at-will for blowing the whistle against her