At-will employment exceptions by state

Generally, that an employer can end the job for any reason or no reason, absent a contract that says otherwise, as long as the reason is not an illegal one, such as discrimination or retaliation.

No. In Montana, a statute generally requires good cause to fire someone once a probationary period ends. The other states generally start from at-will employment, with exceptions that vary.

In states that recognize it, a firing can be unlawful when it violates a clear public policy. Commonly cited examples include firing someone for refusing to commit a crime, filing a workers' compensation claim, taking jury duty, or reporting illegal conduct. New York courts have declined to create a broad version of it, leaving that work to statutes.

Where a handbook, assurances, or a long record of service amount to a promise of continued employment, a court may treat the at-will presumption as rebutted. California applies this more broadly; Illinois and New York generally apply it narrowly, often requiring a clear limitation on at-will status.