At-Will Employment in the States: Examining the Perceptions of Agency Personnel Directors

This study examines data from a 2010 survey of state agency human resource directors in six states: Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, and South Carolina. The survey was designed to obtain data on the impressions these managers have of the impact of at-will employment in civil service systems. Findings reveal that the managers' attitudes are mixed, but they are more likely to register agreement with positive assessments of at-will employment than negative assessments. Managers who think that employees can trust their organizations to treat them fairly are more likely than others to express positive views and are somewhat less likely to agree with negative statements. Personnel managers who believe that at-will employment is sometimes used to expand the reach of political patronage are much more likely than others to agree with negative statements characterizing the reform. The respondents' sex, race/ethnicity, political ideology, private sector experience, and years of experience in the public sector exhibit little apparent impact on attitudes toward at-will employment.