Final answer:
The employment-at-will doctrine allows employers to terminate employees at any time, but there are limitations to this doctrine. Employers cannot terminate employees based on illegal reasons such as discrimination, and they cannot retaliate against employees for exercising their legal rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The employment-at-will doctrine is a legal concept that allows employers to terminate employees at any time and for any reason, as long as it is not an illegal reason. However, there are certain limitations to this doctrine.
One limitation is that employers cannot terminate employees for reasons that violate anti-discrimination laws. For example, it is illegal to fire an employee based on their race, gender, religion, age, or disability.
Another limitation is that employers cannot terminate employees in retaliation for exercising their legal rights. For instance, if an employee reports safety violations or files a workers' compensation claim, it would be illegal for the employer to fire them in retaliation.