How legal Is This

[Provost Harrison]

But people don't have the right to know where their income is coming from from one month to the next and be left utterly destitute at will. Great protection

[Ming]

Having a Job isn't a right. Somebody hires you, they should have the right to fire you. They GAVE you the job in the first place, and that doesn't mean you have it for life.

[Provost Harrison]

I see me and you have very different views. Imagine you and your missus were just turfed out of your jobs because you weren't wanted without any form of recompense...would make your life pretty difficult. Sometimes there is more than just the right, there is a level of responsibility...

[Ming]

My company shows a level of responsibility... and I respect that, and that's why I am willing to work for them and give them my talents. But frankly, a company doesn't have to hire you... and should be able to fire you at will. It is the owners business... and they have the rigth to determine who they are going to pay.

[Ming]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Imagine you and your missus were just turfed out of your jobs because you weren't wanted without any form of recompense...would make your life pretty difficult.

I don't have to imagine that... it has happened. And we don't whine about it. We just go out and get new jobs.
When a company hires you, they aren't giving you a job for life... the retrain the right to fire you at will just as they hired you at will.

[Provost Harrison]

See I believe the company has a responsibility to employ you providing the expectations are met, and if the person is surplus to responsibility, they should be compensated appropriately. What if someone has a family, or a partner is working in the same area and they cannot find another similar job in the same area. What if the person was dismissed through their sexuality or their religion. Employment is something that very much affects someone's life and wellbeing, dismissal, especially without due cause, is a remarkably stressful event. That is why there are laws to protect employees.

And also, this business about 'no job for life' works both ways, people move around to take advantage of opportunities elsewhere if they have that flexibility. There are rights, but no one has the right to just ruin someone's life without good reason, which employment at will allows...it's a completely one-sided way of doing things.

[Ming]

They gave you that "life" in the first place... they should be allowed to take it away. I have much personal experience in this over the last few years with my family. We simply deal with it. If you want certainity in your employement, get a contract. You keep saying it's one sided... so what, they were one sided when they hired you.

[Provost Harrison]

That's what trial periods are for, but everyone should have the right to work for a living unless there is some circumstances that changes either party's ability to provide that. As I said, your mind and my mind are very much made up on the issue.

[Ming]

Owners have the rigth to choose who works for them. It's that simple. It's there business. If you owned your own business you would scream for that right. Granted, you would probably treat your employees fairly because of your opinion on this subject... and most companies do. I wouldn't want to work for a company that doesn't... but at the end of the day, it's THEIR business.
And I strongly support the right of business owners to hire and fire who they want. Goverment jobs are a diffeent story... because we/the people fund it. But for private business... it's their right.

[-Jrabbit]

That's a lovely world you're living in, Provost.

I gave my company 20 years of my life. They gave me a good career. The CEO told me there "would always be a place" for me in the organization. That was in 2000, when I made Director.

March 9, 2004, I was unceremoniously out on my butt. Total surprise. They had "reorganized" and my job suddenly carried the requirement of being a native Spanish speaker. They offered me a "lovely parting gifts" package in exchange for signing off on a "hold harmless" agreement -- which I took to a lawyer and renegotiated before signing.

Bottom line? I was 50-something and expensive and could be replaced by two Spanish-speaking 20-somethings happy to get a gig with this firm.

It was a business decision on their part. I was hurt, but you get over these things. And why would I want to work for a company like that?

Corporations are in the business of making money, not providing jobs. That's just a collateral benefit of most business models. And people don't have a "right to work." They have a responsibility to pull their own weight.

[Terra Nullius]

Originally posted by Ming
Yeah... but we got some great employer protection. And as the owners of the business, they have their rights as well.

Holy crap!

And I thought you were just being facetious.

[Terra Nullius]

Originally posted by -Jrabbit
... people don't have a "right to work." They have a responsibility to pull their own weight.

Yep. Like the responsibilty to restrospectively become a native spanish speaker.

Shame on you JR, failing to pull your weight like that.

[Ming]

Yeah... excuse me for believing that business owners should have rights... it's only THEIR business. And gee, if wasn't for those businesses, people wouldn't have the jobs. Business create the jobs... If you don't like working for somebody else, start your own business... and then see whether you think you should have rigths or not

[Mrs. Tuberski]

Even tough the law is the law i agree with ph here. The company shouldnt be able to fire you because you wore a blue shirt intead of a green one. Even if i am doing my job better then anyone else those are the rules. The unemployment goes a little ways but it helps when u are inthat situation. which i have been in myself. Which is why i now do contract work. If it is not in my original contract i cannot be epected to follow the policies. which is wrong to. Even under contract you have to follow the policies under the business rules. This deal is whether the smell of smoke violates those policies and in this one it doesnt. This is where i ask how legal it is to do such things. I cant control the world around me so why should i be punished?

[Mrs. Tuberski]

I am all for business owners in their rights, but how are we as employees expected to change the world, i mean come on. I see this as a way for these folks to dictate what u do in ur own personal time. its liek telling me u cant work here unless ur husbands stops smoking ,he doesnt work for them what kind of **** is this? HOw is this possible?