Opinion ID: 2353157
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The At-Will Employment

Text: The at-will employment doctrine is well-established Missouri law. Johnson v. McDonnell Douglas Corp., 745 S.W.2d 661 (Mo.1988); Dake v. Tuell, 687 S.W.2d 191 (Mo.1985); Amaan v. City of Eureka, 615 S.W.2d 414 (Mo.1981). Absent an employment contract with a definite statement of duration ... an employment at will is created. Luethans v. Washington University, 894 S.W.2d 169 (Mo.1995); McCoy v. Spelman Memorial Hosp., 845 S.W.2d 727 (Mo.App.1993). An employer may terminate an at-will employee for any reason or for no reason. Crabtree v. Bugby, 967 S.W.2d 66, 70 (Mo. banc 1998); see also McCoy v. Caldwell County, 145 S.W.3d 427, 429 (Mo. banc 2004); Hansome v. Northwestern Cooperage Co., 679 S.W.2d 273, 275 n. 2 (Mo. banc 1984); Johnson, 745 S.W.2d at 662; Dake, 687 S.W.2d at 192-93; Amaan, 615 S.W.2d at 415. The at-will doctrine is [r]ooted in freedom of contract and private property principles, designed to yield efficiencies across a broad range of industries. James A. Sonne, Firing Thoreau: Conscience and At-Will Employment, 9 U. Pa. J. Lab. & Emp. L. 235 (2007); Richard A. Epstein, In Defense of the Contract at Will, 51 U. Chi. L.Rev. 947, 953-58 (1984). However, the at-will doctrine is limited in certain respects. An employer cannot terminate an at-will employee for being a member of a protected class, such as race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age or disability. Section 213.055, RSMo. Supp.2005. In addition, Missouri recognizes the public-policy exception to the at-will-employment rule. Fleshner v. Pepose Vision Institute, Inc., 304 S.W.3d 81, 92 (Mo. banc 2010); Adolphsen v. Hallmark Cards, Inc., 907 S.W.2d 333 (Mo.App.1995).