Final answer:
The doctrine of employment-at-will allows employers to terminate employees without cause or reason, but there are exceptions that protect employees. The employment agreement serves as a contract between the employer and employee and may provide additional protections or limitations on termination.
Step-by-step explanation:
The doctrine of employment-at-will is a legal concept that allows employers to terminate an employee at any time, for any reason, or no reason at all, without incurring legal liability. This means that an employer can fire an employee without having to provide a specific cause for the termination. However, there are exceptions to this doctrine that provide some protection to employees.
One exception is the implied contract exception, which arises when an employer's words or actions imply that an employee will only be terminated for cause.
Another exception is the public policy exception, which prohibits employers from firing employees for reasons that violate public policy, such as whistleblowing or refusing to engage in illegal activities. The third exception is the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, which requires employers to act in good faith when terminating an employee.
The relationship between the doctrine of employment-at-will and the employment agreement is that the employment agreement serves as a contract between the employer and employee that outlines the terms and conditions of the employment.
While the doctrine of employment-at-will allows employers to terminate employees without cause, the employment agreement may provide additional protections or limitations on the employer's ability to terminate the employee.