Employment Termination and Discharge

This section explains employee rights regarding employment termination and discharge through a layoff, getting fired and quitting a job.

Termination and Discharge Topics

Constructive Discharge
Even if an employee quit, it might have constituted an illegal discharge as though the employer wrongfully terminated the employee. Learn more.

Fired for Company Policy Violation
Find out if an employer has the right to fire or otherwise discipline an employee for violating a company policy.

Fired from a Job
About an employee's rights when fired from a job. Includes information about the Doctrine of Employment at Will and wrongful termination.

Layoff
Employee rights regarding employment discharge through a layoff, including severance pay and final pay. Also includes information about the COBRA and WARN Acts.

Quitting a Job
Explains employee rights when quitting a job. Includes information about giving advanced resignation notice and collecting unemployment benefits. Also includes a link to sample resignation letters.

Resignation Notice
You don't have to give your employer advanced resignation notice when terminating your employment, but you might pay for it later. Discover why. Includes a link to resignation letter samples.

Wrongful Termination
What might constitute an illegal employment discharge, commonly referred to as wrongful discharge and more often, wrongful termination. Includes information about the related laws.

Topics Related to Termination and Discharge

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At Will Employment
Explains the meaning of "at will employment". Also referred to as "employment at will" or "hired at will", it's a doctrine that limits employee rights in employment hiring and discharge.

At Will Employment States
Which are "employment at will states" and which of those recognize exceptions to the Doctrine of Employment at Will regarding employment discharge.

COBRA Extended Health Insurance Benefits
About the Federal law that grants to qualified employees, the right to extend their employer-provided health insurance benefits after employment termination or discharge. HIPAA information included.

Employment Credit Check
Discover whether or not your employer may use credit-check results to make adverse employment decisions about you, such as discharging you from your job.

Final Paycheck
When final paychecks are due under state final pay laws, after employees quit or lose their jobs.

Resignation Pay
Find out if your employer must pay you through your notice period, after you give advanced notice of resignation.

Severance Pay
Whether or not you're entitled to receive severance pay from your employer, after quitting or losing your job. Includes information about severance pay laws and severance agreements.

Unemployment Benefits
General information about state unemployment benefits, for which you might be eligible after employment termination or discharge.

Veterans' Preference in Employment Retention
Learn about the preferential treatment in hiring and then retention during layoffs, to which many veterans and disabled veterans are entitled by law for government jobs.

See Criminal Record for information about the extent to which employers may consider criminal records in hiring, discharge and other employment decisions.