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Employment at Will Doctrine
At-will employment is actually American Law's doctrine. It states that in the employment relationship, any of the parties involved can break the relationship anytime without any reliability. But only under the condition if no contract was signed regarding the definite term of the employment relationship. There is a whole set of doctrine which maintains and regulates such type of corporate associations. (C, 1996, pp. 375-376)
As a matter of fact, at-will employment involves a lot of issues which need to be seriously considered and discussed. Consequently, the company who hires such employees encounters certain scenarios which can be exceptional, specific or general depending upon the portfolio of the worker and the nature of the business a company does. Normally the management has to address them and it has to be done carefully in order to fix the things. Being the manager and supervisor of an accounting department is matter of great responsibility especially when it comes to the at-will employment doctrine. Some common scenarios are illustrated below and the steps to deal with them. (Haymes & Kleiner, 2001)
1. Scenario involving skills, competence, and abilities:
To learn each kind of skill or ability is not the forte of every human. There are individual differences and the potentials likewise. If somebody thinks that he/she can learn a specific type of task and later on finds that it wasn't his cup to tea then he should not be branded off as a failure. He can be shifted to some other departments. The training phase is actually meant for such issues. It probes out the capabilities and teaches what a person is best at. The manager is ought to look after all such activities going on at the work place. Since the new employers need comparatively more attention, the supervisor/manager should keep a check now and then.
For instance the case here, if she is not good at computer skills and even the training phase couldn't help her...
The manager should try to polish the skills and enhance the capabilities. To make her learn something completely new can be problematic for both, the company as well as the employee.
2. Scenario involving management, behavior, and performance:
Since at-will employment is a different type of relationship between the company and the worker, the issues can be really serious when either of the parties can't suck up the prevailing problems. Normally this rests with the employee, because they are confident enough about the doctrine and have the preconceived notion that if they are going to be wrongfully discharge they can take the legal action. But instead of considering the actual reasons which lead to the seriousness of the issues to this extent and the eventual discharge, the kept defending themselves.
Talking particularly about the stated case, it is obvious that anybody would burst up if criticized or told about the dismissal. But the management can make her realize her mistakes. Being late at time for once or twice can be an exception but a hobby can't be tolerated.
Moreover the pointless argument with the officials depicts a kind of a behavior which is not socially and ethically accepted. A meeting can be arranged in order to give her the last warning before the discharge, it is likely to be helpful for her to get back to the track. Make it clear that if the discharge is done on the above reasons, then it isn't wrong or against the doctrine, hence even the law is not going to support her. Compromise and adjust, that is what a work place is meant for. Professionalism is after all the fundamental need in any type of job either major or minor therefore the counter behavior should be according to…
References:
Budd, J.W. (2004). Employment with a Human Face: Balancing Efficiency, Equity, and Voice. Ithaca: Cornell University Press,, 86-88.
C, R.D. (1996). "The First Decade of Judicial Interpretation of the Montana Wrongful Discharge from Employment Act (WDEA),." In R.D. C, "The First Decade of Judicial Interpretation of the Montana Wrongful Discharge from Employment Act (WDEA)",.
Haymes, J., & Kleiner, B.H. (2001). "Federal and state statutory exemptions to At-Will employment. Managerial Law, 43.
Sandefur, T. (2010). The Right to Earn a Living: Economic Freedom and the Law. Washington, D.C., Cato Institute,, 235-236.
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