PP247 Chapter 9: Unit 9 Notes
Document Summary
The traditional free-market capitalist doctrine on employment policy is. We will look at it and how it has been eroded or limited by the rise of unions, anti-discrimination law, and other regulations governing employment law. Employment at will (eaw) - in the absence of a specific contract, an employer may hire, fire, demote, or promote any employee (shaw & barry, p. 293). It is defended on the basis of property rights, the freedom of owners and managers to do what they want with their business. This would be reasonable in a condition of rough equality, or a 19th century world of small farmers, tradesmen, and merchants. But we live in world where giant corporations dominate whole industries, a world of employees and bosses. In such a context eaw does not promote equal freedom since owners and managers are in positions of much greater power than workers.
