No., Louisiana is an Employment At-Will State which means you may be fired for any or no reason. However, if you have a contract of employment for a specific length of time or are a union member with a collective-bargaining agreement you cannot be fired except for a specific reason. Employment is a contract between the employer and the employee. You also cannot be fired for a reason protected by federal or state law. Most of the contracts are verbal, but they can be in writing. An employment manual is usually not a contract.

Examples of that protected by laws to prohibit as a reason to fire an employee:

• Discrimination based on race, color, sex, age, pregnancy, national origin, religion, handicap or disability
• Filings a worker’s compensation claim
• Union Activities
• Complaining about environmental violations
• Making an OSHA complaint
• Taking jury duty
• Whistle-blowingbbbb

• Picking up a job application: When you pick up or drop off an application, be prepared for an interview. You never know if they will have a few minutes and are in a hurry to hire someone. Dress appropriately – suit or business causal. and be courteous, because even though you may not get an interview that day, the person who gives you the application may be asked by the interviewer what they thought of you.
• Read carefully: Read the entire job application form very carefully. Understand what is being asked on the form before filling it out to avoid making mistakes. Employers may use the application form to judge how well you follow instructions and how careful you may be as an employee.
• Fill in the blanks: Answer all questions completely, accurately, and truthfully using blue or black ink. Answer the questions with evidence from your experience, which demonstrates you know what the job involves. Write using active words and I/me statements. When something doesn’t apply to you, write N/A for “non-applicable.” Check your answers for correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, completeness, and accuracy. Make sure to keep a copy of your form so that you can use it to prepare for an interview or complete other forms.
• Last details: Sign (don’t print) your name and include the current date.
• For help writing a resume: Visit louisianaworks.net where you will find tutorials explaining how to create a professional resume, conduct a job search to find employment opportunities, etc.

Louisiana is an “employment at will” state. This means that an employer can fire someone for no reason at any time unless there is a written contract or law that offers other protection. However, an employer may not discriminate against any person based on race, gender, religion, citizenship, military status, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, arrest or conviction record (unless the charge is substantially related to the job), or any other classification protected by state or federal law.

• You may wish to file for unemployment benefits, also known as unemployment insurance (UI). UI is a program designed to provide temporary financial assistance to workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own and who meet the requirements of the Louisiana Employment Security law. UI benefits are paid based on past employment and not on the basis of need. Even if you were fired for good cause, you still should file to preserve your rights to unemployment benefits on future claims. 
• Normally you should be able to receive your unemployment benefits unless one of the following is true:
  
  • You were not able to work or available for work;
  • You were fired for “misconduct connected with the work”;
  • You are unemployed due to your participation in a labor-management dispute;
  • You have failed to apply for or accept “available suitable work”;
  • You voluntarily quit and it wasn’t because your employer significantly changed your working conditions;
  • You didn’t work long enough to be covered; or
  • Your job wasn’t covered by unemployment insurance.

To file a claim for unemployment insurance, you may call the Unemployment Insurance Call Center at 1-866-783-5567 or you may file online at www.louisianaworks.net.

• Your social security number;
• Names, addresses, job-site locations and telephone numbers of any employers for whom you worked during the last 18 months;
• Name and local number of your union hall (if applicable);
• Alien registration number (if applicable);
• The member-4 copy of your DD214 (if you served in the military during the last 18 months);
• Your SF-8 and SF-50 (if you worked for a federal employer during the last 18 months). However, do not delay filing if you cannot locate your federal documents.

If you’ve applied for unemployment benefits but have been turned down, you should know about your right to appeal. When you appeal, a different person looks at your case. If you win the appeal, you get your benefits. Contact your local Legal Services Corporation for assistance with your appeal as soon as you receive notice of your denial.