Employment At-Will Exceptions by State
State
|
Public Policy
|
Implied Contract
|
Covenant of Good Faith & Fair Dealing
|
Alabama
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Alaska
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Arizona
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Arkansas
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
California
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Colorado
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Connecticut
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Delaware
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
District of Columbia
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Florida
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Georgia
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Hawaii
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Idaho
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Illinois
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Indiana
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Iowa
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Kansas
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Kentucky
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Louisiana
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Maine
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Maryland
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Massachusetts
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Michigan
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Minnesota
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Mississippi
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Missouri
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Montana
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Nebraska
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Nevada
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
New Hampshire
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
New Jersey
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
New Mexico
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
New York
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
North Carolina
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
North Dakota
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Ohio
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Oklahoma
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Oregon
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Pennsylvania
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Rhode Island
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
South Carolina
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
South Dakota
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Tennessee
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Texas
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Utah
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Vermont
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Virginia
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Washington
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
West Virginia
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Wisconsin
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Wyoming
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Total
|
43
|
42
|
20
|
|
|
Sources
Kenneth G. Dau-Schmidt and Timothy A. Haley, “Governance of the Workplace: The Contemporary Regime of Individual Contract,” Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal (Winter 2007).
Nadjia Limani, Note, “Righting Wrongful Discharge: A Recommendation for the New York Judiciary to Adopt a Public Policy Exception to the Employment-At-Will Doctrine,” Cardoza Public Law, Policy and Ethics Journal (Fall 2006).
Charles J. Muhl, “The Employment-At-Will Doctrine: Three Major Exceptions,” Monthly Labor Review (January 2001).
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