Since the 1800s, American workers have been subject to the so-called “employment at will” doctrine, which basically holds that employers reign supreme in the workplace.
Under the employment at will doctrine, workers can be fired for any reason that does not violate a law or important public policy. Unscrupulous employers have used the policy to fire workers who have demanded their rights. The doctrine is based on an obscure 1877 treatist written iby an Albany attorney called the “Master and Servant” rule.
In recent weeks, however, social media and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement have shaken the employment at will doctrine to its core.
Staffers who support BLM have forced their employers to change fundamental policies – including workers at two large American companies, The New York Times and Starbucks – with breathtaking speed. Continue reading “The Master Servant Rule Is Challenged At Starbucks, New York Times”