Formative Assessment Activity

The commencement of the class’s courses examines the concept of employment-at-will within firms. The paper analyzes the following questions: how does the employment-at-will concept employs to Big Lots? What exceptions refine its application to Big Lots? And how is it used by the managers for the protection of the organization? Application of Employment-at-Will

One state that follows employment-at-will is the state of Texas. Big Lots has not exhibited the practice of at-will within the company. Howbeit, on hiring, employees are supposed to sign paperwork that comprises of the company’s information and the application of employment-at-will. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act promotes ethical behavior within the company and is an application of employment-at-will. Bennett-Alexander (2007), states that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act protects employees, who expose corporate misconduct related to violations of federal law. Whistle-Blowing also plays a vital role at Big Lots, which bears a number for the reporting of distrustful behavior. In acquiescence to the act, the number assigned protects the callers’ identity by keeping them anonymous. Title VII is the Big Lots’ largest employment-at-will application. It defends employees against discriminations in the categories of color, race, national origin and religion. However, some exceptions do exist. Exceptions to Employment-at-Will

Big Lots comprises of a large group of employees, as it owns thousands of stores across the country. Ever Big Lots store has around 20 employees, which influences the exclusions to the regulations of employment-at-will. Promissory estoppels is one exclusion that employs to Big Lots, in which an employee will have to prove the promise made to him or her regarding employment. For instance, if an interviewed candidate denies the job offered to him or her, he or she will have to prove that the job was promised to him or her. Management Protection

Education proves to be the vital part of employment-at-will. If a manager is unaware of the employment-at-will regulations, he or she must be trained to defend the organization. This can be done by using the information obtained from employment-at-will. The manager will be responsible for activities such as ensuring proper availability of documentation for the termination of an employee, retaining an employee who is responsible for the recruitment of new candidates and also to avoid discrimination in the workplace. It is the responsibilities of the management to follow all employment laws as well maintain a decent relationship with the company and its employees. A manager who is ignorant about the employment-at-will regulations, he or she is prone to performing an unfair termination and is likely to account for a lawsuit against the firm. The information can also be used by managers to ensure no availability of perceptible contracts guaranteeing employment. Conclusion

Employment-at-will depends on the particular organization and varies between states. As every law and exception cannot be employed, it is best that organizations perform extensive research to the prevention of prospective legal actions. Big Lots follows the employment-at-will regulations and ensures the application of preventative measures to defend the firm as well as its employees. Howbeit, the firm relies on the managers of every store to be aware of these laws and the application of each during suitable circumstances.

References

Bennett-Alexander, D. D. & Hartman, P. L. (2007). Employment law for business (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Bennett-Alexander, D. & Hartman, P. (2007). Employment law for business (5 th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill