Okay, so I can't edit this... but I got a snarky email from someone saying it was hard to take my advice seriously. I had the "at-will employment" and "right-t

Okay, so I can't edit this... but I got a snarky email from someone saying it was hard to take my advice seriously. I had the "at-will employment" and "right-to-work state" concepts backwards. The simple fact of the matter is this: in the US there is very little in place to protect the employer/employee relationship. If an employer wants to let you go, for almost any reason... it's pretty easy to do so. There is no contract, to speak of. Contrast this with Europe (where I lived for 2 years, so my speaking of it isn't just theoretical) where you sign a contract of definite length with an employer... and the employee has way more protection and stability than what is here in the US. Disclaimer: IANAL and I am not HR. I learned these things from people I worked with and talked with over there, so I may have all the particulars right.