Oregonians would be better off if more people were employed with a Just Cause standard instead of the prevailing At-Will employment standard, according to a new report.
More than three quarters of Oregon employees are classified as At-Will workers, meaning a company can let them go for almost any reason – or no reason at all.
Kathy Lara, policy analyst with the Oregon Center for Public Policy, authored the report. She said she believes At-Will employment weakens labor rights, undermines protections against workplace discrimination, and can compromise safety standards.
“The research also shows that workers then tend to accept unhealthy and hazardous workplace conditions in order to not experience those unfair firings,” Lara. “They might deal with management hostility because of it. They might accept wage theft because they don’t wanna be unjustly fired.”
Lara noted that even with anti-discrimination laws, the burden falls on workers to prove bias. This is harder to do when employers can fire someone freely.
She said a Just Cause law would require documented, legitimate reasons for firings, provide guidelines for progressive discipline, and include strong anti-retaliation protections for workers.
Lara explained that union workers and public sector workers already have just cause employment in Oregon, as well as many CEOs and other high level positions.
She added that heads of companies generally have contracts that guarantee they will at least receive notice before they’re fired, and often get a severance package.
“These high-level employees, they understand that without a contract, their positions are precarious,” said Lara. “And so I think that should also be applied to the everyday person as well, who’s working retail, a bus driver, gas station attendants, what have you.”
The report finds sudden firings force workers to drain savings, go into debt, and struggle to afford basics like food and childcare. Lara argued that a just cause law would provide greater economic stability.
Source: Public News Service
