Which of the following is an exception to at-will employment?

At-will employment is the principle that allows either the employer or the employee to terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, as long as the reason is not illegal. However, this principle is subject to certain exceptions that can alter the terms of the employment relationship.

One significant exception to at-will employment arises from contractual agreements. When a written or implied contract exists that specifies the terms of employment, including conditions of termination, an employee may not be considered "at will." For instance, if an employment contract stipulates that an employee can only be terminated for cause, this fundamentally changes the nature of the employment relationship and protects the employee from arbitrary dismissal. In this context, contractual agreements provide a legal framework that limits the employer's discretion.

The other options, such as employee performance evaluations, retirement status, and payment schedules, do not fundamentally change the nature of at-will employment. For example, performance evaluations inform employees of their job performance but do not provide legal protection against termination unless tied directly to contractual obligations. Similarly, retirement status and payment schedules are related to the terms of employment and can guide employer-employee interactions but do not create a legal exception to at-will employment. Thus, the only option that alters the at-w