At-Will Employment

At-will employment lets either an employer or an employee end the working relationship at any time, for any reason, or for no reason at all, without advance notice or cause. Neither side needs a contract or a specific justification to walk away. It is the default employment framework in most U.S. states, and it traces back to the late 1800s, when American business practices shifted toward this kind of flexibility.

The tradeoff is built into the name: at-will employment favors flexibility for both sides over any guarantee of long-term job security.