What are the laws governing the employer's right to terminate employees?

In Washington, employers have the right to terminate employees with or without cause. An employee may be terminated immediately without notice or recourse if they violate employer policies or rules, such as theft or other criminal activity. In other cases, employers are required to give employees notice of termination in advance, unless public policy or employee contracts dictate otherwise. In addition, employers are prohibited from terminating employees for retaliatory or discriminatory reasons. Employers cannot fire employees based on color, race, creed, religion, national origin, age, or the presence of a disability. Furthermore, employers cannot terminate an employee for legally exercising their rights to unionize, file a complaint, or oppose workplace discrimination. Finally, employers cannot terminate employees for filing a workers’ compensation claim or taking time off for medical or family leave. In Washington, employees may be eligible for monetary damages for a wrongful termination, and may even be able to seek reinstatement or punitive damages in some cases. It is important for employers in Washington to be aware of the applicable labor laws to ensure that they do not violate employee rights when terminating employment.

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What are the laws governing the employer's right to terminate employees?

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