Florida generally adheres to the at-will employment doctrine. This means that employment relationships can be terminated by either the employer or the employee for any reason, or no reason at all, as long as the reason is not unlawful. However, certain legal protections exist for employees, creating specific scenarios where termination might be considered wrongful. For example, an employee cannot be fired due to their race, religion, or gender, as that would constitute illegal discrimination.
These legal safeguards play a critical role in protecting employee rights and promoting fair workplace practices. They ensure that individuals are not unjustly dismissed based on protected characteristics or for engaging in legally sanctioned activities, such as whistleblowing or taking family medical leave. Historically, the development of these exceptions reflects a broader societal shift towards recognizing the importance of worker protections and balancing the power dynamic inherent in the employer-employee relationship.