At Will Employment in Mississippi

 Mississippi is an employment at will state. However, an employment contract may be created by a poorly drafted employee handbook that fails to include an appropriate disclaimer or by offers of lifetime employment. Further, Mississippi does recognize a public policy exception to at will employment. Under the public policy exception, a discharged employee may bring a tort claim when: (1) an employee is discharged for refusing to participate in the employer’s illegal acts or (2) when an employee is discharged for reporting the employer’s illegal acts to the employer or anyone else.  This public policy exception applies even when the parties specifically contract that the employment relationship will be at will.