In Texas, your employment is “at will.” That means that you can be hired and fired as the company you work for sees fit. You can be fired for any reason as long as it’s not illegal. For instance, you can’t be fired due to your gender, but you can be fired for showing up to work late once.
There is the possibility that your employer may offer you a contract that modifies the “at will” clause from the state. That paperwork could solidify your job for a certain amount of time or point out specific reasons you could be fired. One example of a modification of at-will employment contracts includes a teacher’s tenure at a college or university.
Whenever you are negotiating your employment contract, there are many ways your rights can be at risk. For example, your contract could leave out information on your compensation; you want it to be specific, so you know the benefits and compensation you’ll receive. You also need to know in what circumstances you can be entitled to a bonus or could have your benefits or compensation changed for the better or worse.
If you’re terminated, what will happen? Will you receive money in a severance package? Are you protected from termination by tenure? Do you have to abide by a non-compete agreement after being hired? If you do, you could face years of being unable to apply for jobs in your field.
Your future very much depends on the contracts you sign. If you want to learn more about what you should see in a contract and the options you have if you don’t like the contract suggested to you, take a look at our employment agreement webpage. Your rights are important, and you shouldn’t sign them away without understanding the full extent of the contract.
Source: Galo Law Firm, “San Antonio Employment Contracts Attorney” Sep. 18, 2014