Legal Question in Employment Law in Virginia

Wrongful termination

My company HQ is in SC. I work out of their Lorton, Va office. My company has State Dept contract to provide secutiry for US Embassy construction. I sign one year contracts. Company pays for lodging, reimbursed by gov't.

I recieve M & IE portion of per diem. I work shift work, average 64 hrs per week. Company recently sent letter stating that we ''must remain within 25 miles of work site on our off days unless we have prior approval from the company. Failure to do so constitutes our being AWOL and is grounds for termination.'' We are not in the military.

We are offered no stand-by, nor call-in pay, but basically must be available for work 24 hr/day, 365 days. We are Hourly workers not salaried. I have no intention of adhering to such a ridiculous company policy and if I am terminated in the future for failure to adhere, do I have any legal recourse? Further, company says we may not have overnight visitors in our apartments since they are government furnished and only we are authorized gov't housing. THIS IS MY HOME. No similar restrictions apply to State Dept staff living here, nor to US military personnel, either living on-bass or off anyplace. Another

cause for termination says the company. Thank you.


Asked on 1/20/06, 2:45 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Re: Wrongful termination

No, I would say that if you were to violate one or all of the company restrictions that you've mentioned and are therefore terminated that you would have no realistic recourse since, apparently, you have no contract protection and are employed in the Commonwealth of Virginia which is a so-called employment-at-will jurisdiction.

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Answered on 1/20/06, 9:37 pm


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