Employment Law Legal Terms

1) Employment – contractual relationship in which one party engages another to work for pay under the supervision of the party paying

2) Employer – party who engages another to work for pay

3) Employee – party who works under the supervision of another for pay

4) Independent contractor – one who contracts to do something for another but is free of the latter’s direction and control

5) Employment at will – employment relationship whereby employee may be discharged at any time because no agreement was made about length of employment; employee may quit the job at any time without liability for breach of contract

6) Wrongful discharge – firing an employee in retaliation for reporting violations of law by the company

7) Discharged without a cause – employee’s discharge is not due to his or her conduct

8) Unemployment compensation – government payments to those who recently lost their jobs through no fault of their own

9) Discharged for a cause – employee is discharged due to the violation of an employment obligation

10) Payroll deductions – money deducted from an employee’s paycheck

11) Worker’s compensation – payment employer makes to an insurance fund that compensates employees for injuries that occur on the job

12) Duty of obedience – requires employee to follow the reasonable orders and rules of the employer

13)Duty of reasonable care and skill – requires agent to exercise the degree of care and skill any reasonably prudent person would use in a similar situation

14)Duty of loyalty and honesty – requires employee to look out for the best interests of the employer

15)Duty of reasonable performance – requires employee to perform assigned duties at the prescribed time and in the prescribed manner