Right-to-Work Laws don't mean your employer can fire you at any time for any reason (US Law)

"I live in a right-to-work state, so my employer can shitcan me for any reason".

-Linus K. Lemming

Sorry friends, that's at-will employment, *and you still can't be terminated for any reasons that are protected by law, but we're not here to discuss that. Right-to-work laws mean one thing: that non-union employees cannot be required to contribute to the cost of union representation.

The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 prohibits "closed shops", where union membership is a condition of employment; however, union represented positions can still be required to contribute to the cost of that representation. Right-to-work laws prohibit that requirement, allowing employees in union represented positions who choose not to join the union to also choose whether or not they contribute to the union's costs, i.e., if they pay dues or not.

I see this mistake frequently and thought folks might want to know the correct information so they don't unintentionally perpetuate it.

Edit: updated to include link to info about at-will employment.

Kolanaki ,
@Kolanaki@yiffit.net avatar

Even At-will employment doesn't mean they can fire you for any reason.

The reasons in which they couldn't are for protected classes like race, religion, etc. Though they can always just, you know, lie.

dohpaz42 ,
@dohpaz42@lemmy.world avatar

Yes, which is why you as the employee need to always have a “paper trail”. Make sure everything is written down, either on paper or electronically. After any phone call or in person meeting, make sure you follow up with an email that recaps what you discussed. BCC your personal email to make sure you retain a copy of the communications. Do not trust your employers to keep your email intact.

And never, ever, sign anything when you’re fired. Refuse any “exit interviews”; remember that anything you say can and will be held against you. No matter what your employer says, they absolutely cannot withhold your paycheck because you refuse to sign or interview when you lose your job.

It might also be worth looking up your state’s laws on recording conversations. For example, in North Carolina, you only need one person’s consent to record conversations. And since you’re a part of that conversation, your consent is all you need. So if you have to, record your “one-on-one meetings/phone calls”. But absolutely do not reveal that to your employers.

sunzu ,

Who is down voting this info?

If you believe this is incorrect, please state it lol

doingthestuff ,

I downvoted because it doesn't give a good description of right-to-work and/or at-will employment, or include differences or the way the law applies in different areas. It's too broad of a post without enough specific relevant application to local law scenarios. It's opening a can of worms and could be misunderstood.

StupidBrotherInLaw ,

You're got to be kidding. The post is about right to work laws. It includes a summary of what that means, plus links for more information. So you downvoted because OP didn't compare and contrast two unrelated laws or write a dissertation on how right to work laws vary by state/county/city. Laws that by definition literally only do one thing. This shit is why people don't post more.

To highlight how ridiculous your comment is, I'll help OP out and provide what you found to be so lacking. I know this is going to make OP look pretty bad, so I'm sure they'll provide at least a partial refund of what you paid for their post.

At-will employment: you can be fired for anything not protected by law.

Right to work laws: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues.

Compare: they are applied to employees
Contrast: neither does anything similar

For my next trick, I'll provide specific relevant application for local law scenarios by state.

Alabama: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Arkansas: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Georgia: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Idaho: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Indiana: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Iowa: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Kansas: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Kentucky: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Louisiana: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Michigan: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Mississippi: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Nebraska: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

North Carolina: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

North Dakota: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Oklahoma: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

South Carolina: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

South Dakota: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Tennessee: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Texas: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Utah: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Virginia: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Washington: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

West Virginia: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Wisconsin: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Wyoming: employees in unionized workplaces cannot negotiate employment contracts which require that non union employees must pay union dues

Modern_medicine_isnt ,

Why worry about the downvoters. This isn't reddit yet.

sunzu ,

on reddit you don't get to see the ratio and spytube removed downvote all together, i think you need an extension to view?

wonder why?

Seeing the ratio can be useful

SpikesOtherDog ,

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/At-will_employment

People are confusing it with at will employment.

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