Employment
At-will employment with statutory anti-discrimination floors
Absent a contract or union agreement, either party may end employment at any time for any reason that is not independently illegal. Protection comes from anti-discrimination and retaliation statutes rather than from general unfair-dismissal law.
Key rules
- Title VII prohibits discrimination on race, colour, religion, sex and national origin for employers with 15+ employees.
- The FLSA sets the federal minimum wage and 1.5x overtime above 40 hours per week for non-exempt employees.
- No federal statutory right to paid annual leave or paid sick leave exists.
Governing law
- Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. § 201)
- Civil Rights Act 1964, Title VII (42 U.S.C. § 2000e)
- Family and Medical Leave Act (29 U.S.C. § 2601)12 weeks unpaid, job-protected
Penalties and consequences
- Back pay and reinstatement
- Compensatory and punitive damages capped by employer size under Title VII
In practice
State law frequently exceeds the federal floor, and the gap is large: California requires paid sick leave and restricts non-competes almost entirely, while several states track the federal minimum exactly.