Wrongful discharge of the at-will hospital pharmacy employee

The vast majority of hospital pharmacy employees are not covered by a contract or a collective bargaining agreement and are therefore subject to the employment at-will doctrine. In recent years, there has been considerable erosion of this doctrine with increased protection of the at-will employee from wrongful discharge. This paper reviews both the statutory and judicial limits on the right to discharge an employee at-will, and discusses the implications for pharmacy management and staff. Although the laws relating to wrongful discharge will vary from state to state, the changing theories governing this process are of significant importance to all concerned.