Editor,
There is a relic of 19th century norms still in vogue in the 21st century, a norm that is outdated and in need of updating. That norm is the doctrine of "employment at will," which allows a company to dismiss employees "with or without cause and with or without notice."
This is disturbing, given that we as Americans hold the state to a higher degree of accountability than business. For example, the state cannot arrest somebody without probable cause, the state cannot search and seize property without due evidence and/or probable cause, and the state cannot arbitrarily terminate one's life unless that person has been convicted of a capital offense and the sentence is upheld.
Yet, businesses, mainly ones that offer rinky-dink jobs, have the liberty to hire and fire at will, with no due process, no probable cause, and no process of appeal. Business has been given carte blanche in this instance, making it nearly above the laws that are expected of the state.
The companies that do this are not offering jobs of high stakes or high rewards. They are not offering positions of handling mergers and acquisitions. The jobs offered in which employees are at will are often low paying wage jobs, that are no real material incentive beyond the hourly wage.
It is time to make business more accountable to society and strip them of their right to dismiss without cause and without notice and make them abide along the lines we expect the government to follow.
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Brandon D. Curtis
Daily Lobo reader
