This document is one in a series that addresses issues of employment and dismissal matters in the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. This issue focuses on employment at will, which exists at the will of each party. At-will employees are employed for an indefinite term; either side may end the employment without the others' consent. At-will employees include all other local school employees who are in neither a certified nor contract position. In North Carolina, employees at will have a number of statutory protections that relate to termination. The interpretive analysis section points out that North Carolina courts have long held that at-will employment may be terminated for no reason or for an arbitrary or irrational reason. However, they have also refused to allow the discharge of at-will employees for unlawful reasons or reasons that violate public policy. A question-and-answer section highlights frequent areas of concern. The appendix outlines North Carolina law relating to employees at will, specifically: unlawful discharge of juror, prohibition of discrimination, hiring of school personnel, entitlement, employee rights, penalties for denial, and prohibition of employee discrimination. (LMI)