My department abolished 3 weeks after Radiation

    Florida employment law is based on the general rule that any employee may be discharged by the employer, or may leave the job, for any reason whatsoever, or for no reason.  In other words, an employer in Florida may hire and fire any employee at any time for any reason.  It doesn’t matter if there is no reason, a bad reason, a good reason, or just the result of a whimsical decision.  Likewise, the employee is free to quit a job at any time without any reason and without any notice.  THERE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ANY REASON FOR FIRING OR FOR QUITTING.  This is referred to in the law as the “Employment at Will” doctrine. 

    The above “employment at will” relationship between an employer and an employee changes if there is an employment contract between the parties.  Then the relationship is governed by the terms of the contract.  

    The “employment at will” relationship may also be altered by a labor union contract if the employer and employee are governed by such a contract.  The employment relationship here is governed by the labor union agreement with the employer.

    Civil Service employees and employees of governmental organizations that have a merit system protection or other forms of merit retention or civil service type protection do not fall under the general rule of the “employment at will” doctrine.  Such employees such look to its civil service rule or similar rules to determine the nature of the employment relationship. 

    A “personnel manual” or “employee handbook” given to employees by a corporate employer does not (at least in Florida) give the employee contractual rights.   It is important to know the rules and regulations of the corporation concerning is employees, but these rules do not automatically give employees certain legal rights that are enforceable in a court of law. 

    Of course, even in an “employment at will” state such as Florida,  an employer covered by specific federal and state laws governing employer / employee relations, cannot discharge or attempt to discharge or take any adverse employment action regarding an employee that violates such law(s).  All of those statutes and laws are too numerous to discuss on this website.