You’ve probably heard that Alabama is an “employment at will” state, but what exactly does that mean?
Alabama law presumes that you are employed at will. That is, unless you have an employment contract you are considered to be employed at will and therefore you are free to quit for any reason at any time.
By the same token, however, your employer can fire you at any time – for a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason at all.
But you do have some important rights.
Even if you are employed at will you cannot be fired for an illegal reason. So, for example, federal law protects most employees from discrimination based on age, sex, religion, national origin,race, or disability.
Federal law also protects most workers from retaliation by an employer after the worker reports discrimination, makes a worker’s compensation claim, or “blows the whistle” on the company’s illegal activity. Other laws may apply to your employer to protect your working conditions and to provide you with minimum wage, overtime, and time off protections.
If you have a question about your workplace rights you should speak with a lawyer.
The attorneys of Lewis, Lewis & Falkner are available to talk to you. Call our Tuscaloosa office at 205-553-5353 today for your free consultation.
