An employer can terminate an employment relationship, unless a contract, collective bargaining agreement, or some other agreement exists that defines a period of employment or specific conditions and procedures for termination. Employers can't discharge an employee on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, national origin, or other reasons that constitute discrimination, which would violate federal and state equal protection laws. The implied contract exception to the at-will doctrine bases an employee's status on material in employee manuals, oral promises made by management, and the employer's previous conduct. For example, if the employee handbook states that a progressive disciplinary policy will precede an employee's discharge, the employer
