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Washington DC Business Lawyer
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At Will Employment in Washington DC

One of the most heated debates in the United States is the various issues that are related to labor laws. One one hand, there is the company’s objective to remain in business and achieve its mandate more so with the pressure of the shareholders. On the other hand, there are the rights and privileges that are entitled to the employees such as job security. In this light, one of the most controversial ethical and legal issues is related to at-will employment.

Definition and Scope of At-will Employment
The term at-will employment is used to refer to a labor agreement whereby either the employer or the employee may terminate the employment relationship at any time and at whatever reason as far as the time factor and the reason for termination of employment are confined within the law.

The contract is adopted by both the employer and the employee for reasons of convenience. On one hand, the employer appreciates the benefit of firing employees at his or her discretion without necessarily giving a reason. On the other hand, the employee appreciates the flexibility that comes with termination of employment without the fear of facing the consequences that may arise after breaking an employment contract.

The Legal Status of At-Will Employment and Why You Need a Lawyer
Unknown to many employees, signing an at-will employment agreement does not deny you your basic rights and freedoms concerning labor. Strange as it may sound, it is not uncommon to find cases where an employee under at-will employment is entitled to more rights than the regular workforce.

Having said that, there are several reasons why you need a lawyer in order to handle at-will employment issues. To start with, you need to determine if the employment relationship that you have is at-will or not. Whereas this is relatively easy, it is not as obvious as it may sound. This is because some employers use a vague language when writing labor agreements. Other employers follow the policy of nondisclosure of company’s information where they disclose less information about a company’s policy.

Second, an employee should understand that termination of such a case should not be wrongful. In case the termination is wrongful, the employee is at liberty to sue for damages.
Lastly, there are rights and freedoms that the employee is entitled to under an at-will employment relationship. Consequently, the employer must follow some provisions and avoid some unethical practices. These include and not limited to federal discrimination law, implied contracts, violation of state public policy, and Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing.

Tobin O’Connor, a reputable law firm based in Washington DC, is one of the most outstanding law firms offering legal services in Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland. Our firm has a well established and well developed legal niche in the area of at-will employment.

Our law firm offers legal representation to victims of wrongful termination of employment as well as denial of rights related to at-will employment. Similarly, it offers legal services to employers who need to understand and implement a solid at-will employment policy within the provisions of the law.
One of its greatest advantage is that it has accumulated vast experience in dealing with at-will employment cases in all the three states and has had successful litigation. In addition, its competent staff has had a proven record of assisting the clients at every stage of the litigation process. Its customer service is willing and ready to respond to questions or clarification regarding the various services provided by the law firm.

Clients should be careful about the choices they make when it comes to signing or not signing at-will employment agreements. Seeking the opinion of a competent lawyer is a matter of paramount importance.

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