Likely the most common question we hear is, “can I terminate an (at-will) employee for cause, even if he/she is a member of a protected class?” The quick answer is yes: any at-will employee can be terminated at any time, with or without cause, so long as the reason for termination is not discriminatory or retaliatory (i.e.: refusing to perform an illegal act) in nature. Beyond that, an employee cannot be terminated for taking approved leave to which he/she is entitled (i.e