Employment At-Will: Washington
Federal law and guidance on this subject should be reviewed together with this section.
Author: Gloria Ju
Summary
- Employment relationships in Washington are presumed to be at-will, meaning the employment relationship can be terminated by either party, at any time, with or without cause. See The At-Will Relationship.
- Washington recognizes limited exceptions to the at-will presumption, including written and verbal contracts and public policy exceptions. See Employment At-Will Exceptions.
- At-will employees in Washington challenging a discharge may file claims against their employers under tort theories, including intentional infliction of emotional distress and defamation, so long as the employee is able to satisfy an evidentiary burden. See Tort Considerations.
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