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A new report, published on Friday, finds that “more than two out of three workers who have been discharged received no reason or an unfair reason for the termination” this year.
In a survey of workers, the National Employment Law Project (NELP) found that 69 percent of respondents told them they had been let go for “no reason or for an unfair reason.” Only “one out of every three terminated employees received severance,” according to the report. Many workers told NELP they stayed at positions where they were faced with poor—or even illegal—working conditions and did not speak up for fear of losing their jobs.
The report highlights a long-held problem for workers: the lack of “just cause” employment protections. Just cause protections would prohibit employers from firing workers without an explanation, prior warning, or due process. The protections look to counter the standard “at-will” employment system in the United States which allows employers to terminate employees for little to no reason, creating a predatory power dynamic. This system means that in low-wage jobs with few employment protections—delivery app drivers, retail cashiers, pharmacy workers—there is little safeguard against unjust and often arbitrary firings.
These conditions are perhaps why 2022 was a big year for unionization. Unions won more elections than they have in 20 years, with employee rights...
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