Dictionary of Law
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at will employment :: legal definition


At will employment - n. a provision found in many employment contracts which suggest the employee works at the will of the employer, and which the employers insert in order to avoid claims of termination in breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, or discrimination. Inclusion of such a term puts the burden on the discharged employee to show that he or she had reasons to believe the employment was permanent. The employer uses the "at will" provision to claim: We could fire the employee at any time, no matter what the reasons.

See also: wrongful termination and Related Law Terms ↓


Related Law Terms

accrue :: v. 1) growing or adding to, such as interest on a ... the contract (anticipatory breach).
agency :: n. the relationship of a person (called the agent) ... ondeat superior scope of employment
anticipatory breach :: n. when a party to a contract repudiates (reneges ... perform. See also: breach contract
apparent authority :: n. the appearance of being the agent of another (e ... e also: agency ostensible authority
breach :: 1) n. literally, a break. A breach may be a failur ... breach of trust breach of warranty
breach of contract :: n. failing to perform any term of a contract, writ ... breach breach specific performance
cause of action :: n. the basis of a lawsuit founded on legal grounds ... property. See also: element lawsuit
condition subsequent :: n. 1) in a contract, a happening which terminates ... Dad Fauntleroy. See also: condition
election of remedies :: n. an outmoded requirement that if a plaintiff (pa ... dence has not been fully presented.
employee :: n. a person who is hired for a wage, salary, fee o ... ondeat superior scope of employment
employment :: n. the hiring of a person for compensation. It is ... ployment Workers' Compensation Acts
implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing :: n. a general assumption of the law of contracts, t ... -long employment. See also: implied
installment contract :: n. an agreement in which payments of money, delive ... n contract failure of consideration
liability :: n. one of the most significant words in the field ... bility joint tortfeasors negligence
liquidated damages :: n. an amount of money agreed upon by both parties ... airness. See also: contract damages
partial breach :: n. the failure to meet a term of a contract which ... g in the missing or expected items.
ratify :: v. to confirm and adopt the act of another even th ... ligation. See also: agent principal
reliance :: n. acting upon another's statement of alleged fact ... able. See also: reasonable reliance
repudiation :: n. denial of the existence of a contract and/or re ... also: anticipatory breach contract
servant :: n. an employee of an employer, technically one who ... ndent contractor master and servant
severable contract :: n. an agreement which is made up of several separa ... e also: breach of contract contract
statute of limitations :: n. a law which sets the maximum period which one c ... ies. See also: demurrer laches toll
wrongful termination :: n. a right of an employee to sue his/her employer ... ing an employee's grounds for suit.

Popular Law Searches

legal definition ministerial act :: n. an act, particularly of a governmental employee ... exercising any individual judgment.
chancery legal definition :: n. a court that can order acts performed. Today ch ... ts in most states. See also: equity
testamentary disposition legal definition :: n. how the terms of a will divide the testator's ( ... named beneficiaries. See also: will
contract of sufferance :: n. a "hold-over" tenancy after a lease has expired ... y tenancy at will unlawful detainer
forthwith legal definition :: adv. a term found in contracts, court orders and s ... mediacy, with no excuses for delay.
forthwith definition legal :: adv. a term found in contracts, court orders and s ... mediacy, with no excuses for delay.
what is to wit in a legal contract :: prep. that is to say. Example: "the passengers in ... tty Bumgartner and Sherry Younger."
mirror wills legal definition :: n. the wills of a husband and wife which are ident ... d each names the other as executor.
clean hands doctrine latin :: n. a rule of law that a person coming to court wit ... ices. See also: affirmative defense
sine qua non only relates to contract law :: (see-nay kwah nahn) prep. Latin for "without which ... qua non of the injury to Playmate.

Other Law Terms - A

a fortiori :: (ah-for-she-ory) prep. Latin for "with even strong ... rother Cain certainly is too young.
a priori assumption :: (ah-pree-ory) n. from Latin, an assumption that is ... when the reality is not so certain.
a.k.a. :: prep. abbreviation for "also known as" when someon ... nodgrass, a.k.a. "Snuffy the Snod."
ab initio :: prep. lawyer Latin for "from the start," as "it wa ... tart," as "it was legal ab initio."
abandon :: v. to intentionally and permanently give up, surre ... lso: abandoned property abandonment
abandoned property :: n. property left behind (often by a tenant) intent ... -use. See also: abandon abandonment
abandonment :: n. the act of intentionally and permanently giving ... : abandon abandoned property patent
abate :: v. to do away with a problem, such as a public or ... ty septic tank. See also: abatement
abatement :: n. 1) the removal of a problem which is against pu ... eneficiary in full. See also: abate
abduction :: n. the criminal taking away of a person by persuas ... g of children. See also: kidnapping
abet :: v. to help someone commit a crime, including helpi ... n the crime. See also: aid and abet
abeyance :: 1) n. when the owner- ship of property has not bee ... 2) legal jargon for "undetermined."
able-bodied :: adj. physically capable of working at a job or in ... of paying alimony or child support.
abortion :: n. the termination of pregnancy by various means, ... ed abortion continue in the future.
abrogate :: v. to annul or repeal a law or pass legislation th ... ons of a contract. See also: repeal
abscond :: v. 1) traditionally to leave a jurisdiction (where ... as in "he absconded with the loot."
absolute :: adj. complete, and without condition. ... j. complete, and without condition.
abstention doctrine :: n. when the Supreme Court refuses to exercise its ... being appealed from a state court.
abstract :: n. in general, a summary of a record or document, ... tract of judgment abstract of title
abstract of judgment :: n. a written summary of a judgment which states ho ... aying the debt. See also: levy lien