While living in the U.S. and working, there's a phrase you're bound to hear at least once.

It's called "at-will employment," which translates to something like "voluntary employment" in Korean.

I live in Dallas, but recently my cousin in Houston experienced being fired from his job, which made this concept feel very real to me. He said he would fight it legally because he believed it was an unfair dismissal, but I realized just how deeply rooted the cold system of American workplaces is.

Essentially, at-will employment means that either the company or the employee can end the employment relationship whenever they want.

From the company's perspective, they can say, "You're not coming in starting tomorrow," and from the employee's side, they can say, "I'm not coming in tomorrow." Unless specifically stated in a contract, the employment relationship can be terminated at any time, which is the basic principle. My cousin, who was used to the concept of permanent employment in Korea, was completely unaware of this and was shocked by the sudden termination notice.

However, that doesn't mean a company can fire someone without any reason or restrictions. Dismissals based on discrimination, retaliation, or illegal reasons are prohibited. For example, firing someone based on race, gender, age, religion, disability, or pregnancy is illegal. Additionally, firing someone for whistleblowing or for exercising rights protected by labor laws is also unlawful.

The problem is that proving this is not easy. My cousin claimed, "My boss fired me without reason because he dislikes me," but the company provided an official explanation that "performance was low." In such cases, if you cannot gather evidence legally, it is nearly impossible to win an unfair dismissal lawsuit.

From what I observed, my cousin's struggle was essentially a process of recognizing the power imbalance between the company and the individual.

When he consulted a lawyer, he was told, "If there's no blatant discrimination or documentary evidence, your chances are low," and ultimately, the company managed to present the situation as if they followed legal procedures. The at-will employment system in the U.S. is designed to favor companies legally, so even if employees feel wronged, they often lack solid grounds to stand on.

Hearing my cousin's story made me realize that Texas state law is employer-friendly, making it easier for dismissals to occur. As a result, employees tend to prepare quietly. They keep their resumes updated, network consistently, and build personal emergency funds.

At first glance, this may seem unstable, but conversely, it also means there's freedom to seek better opportunities without being tied to a company. In fact, I also left a job I didn't like in the past, and thanks to the at-will system, I was able to move on without worrying about breaching a contract.

Of course, this system doesn't come without its downsides. For immigrants, those with language barriers, or families with financial difficulties, the anxiety of "not knowing when I might be fired" can be an immense source of stress. After being fired, my cousin was deeply concerned about how to support his family, and that anxiety ultimately led him to decide to fight against the company.

In the end, what I've realized is that if you're working, you need to prepare with the understanding that "you can be fired at any time."

If you are dismissed, it's right to leave the company immediately, and unless it's illegal, there are no guarantees. However, if the reason for dismissal falls under illegal motives like discrimination or retaliation, there is room to fight legally. But even that is not easy, so realistically, constant job preparation and self-management are necessary.

Watching my cousin's struggle in Houston, feeling wronged, made me reflect on how cold American workplaces can be, yet at the same time, opportunities are available. It's fair to say that the concept of a stable, lifelong job essentially doesn't exist, and instead, being prepared to seek new paths at any time is the answer.