{"id":1719,"date":"2018-03-06T18:19:30","date_gmt":"2018-03-06T18:19:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/az-labor-employment-law\/?page_id=1719"},"modified":"2023-11-10T23:52:38","modified_gmt":"2023-11-10T23:52:38","slug":"employer-reason-termination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/az-labor-employment-law\/blog\/employer-reason-termination\/","title":{"rendered":"Does an Employer Have to Give Reason for Termination?"},"content":{"rendered":"
In every state except Montana, employment is considered \u201cat-will<\/a>.\u201d Under at-will employment law, employees have the right to quit at any time, for any reason, and employers have the right to terminate employees at any time, for any reason that isn\u2019t discriminatory or retaliatory. Employees are under no obligation to provide any notice or explanation for their quitting, and employers are given the same leeway. It\u2019s common for some companies to provide a \u201cservice letter\u201d when terminating employees, but employers are not required to give a reason for terminating an employee.<\/p>\n Service letters are issued by employers to document when and why an employee is terminated. Some states require service letters, but the state of Arizona does not. Some employers in Arizona elect to provide service letters, but the practice is entirely voluntary and is not required by state or federal law.<\/p>\n When an employee quits their job, the employer is required to issue their final paycheck on the next scheduled payday. Employees who are terminated or laid off should receive their final paycheck on the next scheduled payday or within seven days, whichever is sooner. Employers have the right to withhold any portion of the final paycheck that is subject to a reasonable dispute, as long as the action is taken in good faith, is not retaliatory, and is resolved as soon as possible.<\/p>\n Reasonable disputes can include an employer\u2019s right to reimbursement for stolen property, damaged property, and misused business assets (e.g. paying for personal expenses with a company credit card). The employer is only allowed to withhold the portion of the final paycheck that corresponds to the disputed amount, though.<\/p>\n While at-will employment laws give employers a lot of leeway when it comes to lawfully terminating an employee, there are a handful of circumstances that are prohibited by state and federal law. Specifically, there are four situations that qualify for wrongful termination:<\/p>\n If you have been wrongfully terminated by your employer, the first step is to file a formal complaint with the appropriate government agency. Depending on which state or federal law was broken in the course of your wrongful termination, you can file a complaint with the following agencies:<\/p>\n In addition to filing a complaint and participating in the agency\u2019s ensuing investigation, you have the right to seek compensation for damages from your employer via a civil lawsuit. If you have been wrongfully terminated, you should speak with an employment law attorney ASAP to assess your case, calculate your expected damages, and decide on the best course of action. There are several statutes of limitations that dictate how long you have to file a wrongful termination suit or complaint, with some of them being as short as 30 days (180 days is the average).<\/p>\n The state of Arizona is a great place to live and work, but knowing the employment laws will help you a lot. Whether you are a newcomer to the state or a lifelong resident, understanding your workplace protections is good for your career, and the more you know, the better.<\/p>\n Employment law issues can cause extreme distress and can affect productivity on the job. If you are being harassed at work, or dealing with any other employment issue, consider talking to our AZ employment law<\/a> team to help you settle your case.<\/p>\nService letters<\/h2>\n
Final paychecks<\/h2>\n
Wrongful termination<\/h2>\n
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How to file a complaint for wrongful termination<\/h2>\n
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Civil action for wrongful termination<\/h2>\n
Need Help With An Employment Law Issue?<\/h3>\n