What Does It Mean to Be an At-Will Employee?
The State of Pennsylvania is what’s known as an at-will state when it comes to employment, and this causes a lot of confusion for a lot of people. Very generally, this means that employers can fire employees at any time and for any reason – or for no reason at all – and that employees have no legal recourse in response. The flip side of this is that employees can quit their jobs at any time and for any reason – or for no reason at all – without fear of legal reprisal from their employers. There are, however, rules and restrictions that apply. If you’ve lost your job or have legal concerns related to your employment, turn to the skilled legal counsel of an experience Pennsylvania employment attorney.
Employees Have Protections in Place
While employers don’t need a specific reason for letting employees go, there are certain reasons that employers can’t use for firing employees. For example, there are a range of state and federal laws that protect employees from being fired in response to their inclusion in a special class, such as any of the following:
- Race
- Skin color
- Religion
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
- Gender identity
- Age – for those over the age of 40
- Disability
- Ancestry
- National origin
- Pregnancy
- Citizenship
- Military status
This list is not exhaustive. There are also built-in protections regarding the harassment of employees, including sexual harassment.
Laws Specifically Designed to Protect Employees
Some of the laws that specifically protect employees from harassment and discrimination in the workplace include the following:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
- The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act
- The Americans with Disabilities Act
- The Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Employers can’t use Pennsylvania’s position on at-will employment as an excuse to fire employees whom they’re biased against or to fire someone with a disability – as long as the employee is able to perform their job once provided with the necessary reasonable accommodations.
Protections from Retaliation
There are also protections in place that help to ensure employees can’t be fired for exercising their rights under the ample anti-discrimination laws out there or for participating in investigations that are focused on their employers’ wrongdoing. Further, employees can’t be retaliated against for engaging in any of the following:
- Requesting reasonable accommodations for a disability
- Taking family, maternity, or paternity leave
- Filing a workers’ comp claim
- Forming a union
- Discussing work-related concerns with other employees
- Making a wage or hour claim
- Reporting potential regulatory violations by the employer to the authorities
- Filing a complaint about discrimination on the job
An Experienced Pennsylvania Employment Attorney Is Standing By to Help
If you were fired unfairly, the skilled Pennsylvania employment attorneys at Mette Attorneys at Law appreciate the magnitude of your loss and will leave no stone unturned in their focused pursuit of your claim’s best possible resolution. Your claim matters, so please reach out and contact us online or call 717-231-5219.