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And, the law says that unless you have a valid reason to fire someone, you can't just do it arbitrarily. In other words, if this practice has taken place before, with no punitive action, the owner is violating federal law.
No, the law doesn't say that apdst. Please, produce the law you suggest states such things?
Again, another article explaining what an At-Will state is:
What You Can't Fire Someone For | AllLaw.com
Under the employment-at-will doctrine, an employer can generally fire an employee for any reason or for no reason at all. However, there are some things that an employer can't fire an employee for. Employers cannot fire employees for reasons that would violate anti-discrimination laws. (For more information on employment discrimination laws read the article, "Employment Discrimination Laws You Should Be Aware Of".) An employer also cannot fire an employee for reasons that would violate public policy. For example, an employer cannot fire an employee because that employee turned the employer in for violating the law.
Here's another, from a lawyer from my state explaining it. Note, Tennessee is similar to Virginia in that it's At-Will and a Right To Work
First and foremost, one must understand that Virginia is both an at-will employment state and a right-to-work state. A proper understanding of these terms is essential for an understanding of the rights of both an employer and employee.
Right-to-work means an employer cannot make an agreement with a union that membership in the union is a condition of hiring or continued employment. Basically, membership in a union is voluntary for employees. In most workplaces, right-to-work is irrelevant because there is no union. In addition, an employer rarely violates this prohibition.
At-will employment means that, subject to some limitations, the employer is free to discharge individuals for good cause, bad cause or no cause at all, and the employee is equally free to quit, strike or otherwise cease working. This is the heart of employment law in Virginia, and the subject of most disputes. Usually, a case for wrongful discharge will arise from a violation of the at-will employment limitations.
The most important limitations on at-will employment are found in a patchwork of federal and state laws and regulations designed to prohibit discrimination. Discrimination is generally defined as taking an adverse action against an employee or potential employee based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or handicap status. There are also limitations on such adverse actions based on pregnancy, family medical leave, refusal to commit illegal acts and a host of other things. In addition to the above limitations, an employer also must abide by the limitations contained in the terms of any employment contract between the employer and employee.
At-will Employment? Right-to-Work? What Does It All Mean? | Lynchburg Business