However, if an employee does not have a contract, they are subject to the at-will employment standard. The logic behind the at-will employment law is to provide employees with legal grounds to end their employment at their discretion without facing legal repercussions.
Prospective employees are similarly drawn to this arrangement as it provides flexibility to quit at any time for any reason. For example, an employee who is unhappy at work or has been offered a better job can simply quit — no questions asked.
New York is an 'at-will' employment State. Without a contract restricting termination, generally an employer has the right to discharge an employee at any time for any, or no, reason, providing it is not an act of illegal retaliation or discrimination (see below).
The most common prohibited reasons are: discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital status, military status, or disability. complaining about a labor law violation to the employer, a coworker, the Attorney General, or the New York State Department of Labor (DOL) ...
Here's one we've put together for you: “Your employment with employer name is at-will. This means your employment is for an indefinite period of time and it is subject to termination by you or employer name, with or without cause, with or without notice, and at any time.”
At-will employment also permits employees the right to quit anytime for any reason. As a result, you don't have to provide an employer with advance notice of your resignation; this is simply a courtesy and not a legal obligation.
California. Under the California Labor Code, employment without a specific term is "at will," meaning either employer or employee can terminate it without notice or reason at any time unless there's a contract stating otherwise.
Prospective employees are similarly drawn to this arrangement as it provides flexibility to quit at any time for any reason. For example, an employee who is unhappy at work or has been offered a better job can simply quit — no questions asked.
In the US, the answer is generally nothing happens. Usually you are an at will employee meaning that you can be fired at any time and for any reason (good, bad, indifferent, or no reason at all) as long as it is not a discriminatory reason. It also means you can quit at any time and with little or no notice.