What are my rights as an at will employee that was terminated with no reason?

Doug Hamilton

October 2,2022 at 12:36PM UTC

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What are my rights as an at will employee that was terminated with no reason? Insurance, unused vacation days, etc.

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Michele DarleyOctober 2,2022 at 12:53PM UTC
Unfortunately, you don’t have much. The company is obligated to pay you for the time that you worked. If you work for a company that is large enough to provide cobra, you should be offered the opportunity to have cobra benefits. There are no laws regarding severance or having your vacation time paid out. At will employment is really to benefit the employer, not an employee.
AnonymousOctober 2,2022 at 2:10PM UTC
get a copy of your HR policy that describes those elements. Read them carefully. If it is still confusing, seek to talk to HR to explain them to you. If you feel your employer is skimping out on sending you a check equivalent for unused PTO, see if you can talk to a lawyer probono.
AnonymousOctober 2,2022 at 3:21PM UTC
You must refer to the company's handbook or policy. You can also refer to your state's employment laws and call your labor board.
Dawn S. CrossOctober 2,2022 at 4:53PM UTC
It will depend on your state laws and what is in the company policy. You are “at will”, meaning they don’t have to give notice as to why, but the other should be laid out.
AnonymousOctober 2,2022 at 4:55PM UTC
Speak with an employment law attorney for a free consultation but remember states vary on the rights of employees that are "at will"
Shelly EdwardsOctober 3,2022 at 2:52PM UTC
File for unemployment right away if you have not already done so. Depending on what state you are in, most state recognize that vacation time is earned by the employee and, therefore must be paid out to the employee upon termination. Having said that, PTO is not necessarily recognized as an accrued benefit and may not be required to be paid out. You will need to Google your state laws regarding accrued vacation payouts. Depending on how many employees were at your company, you may be entitled to COBRA for your insurance. This means they have to extend coverage to you, but you are responsible for the full premium payment of the cost, not just your portion of it.