I am surprised that the print media have not until now taken notice of [at-will employment] legislation, since it would have a major effect on their ability to gather information to report within their respective publications. Phil Webster took note of [the bill, currently in a Senate committee] in his letter March 13.

This at-will legislation was fast-tracked in the S.C. House because of influence from special-interest groups and possibly even from the governor's office.

Similar methods appear to have been attempted in the S.C. Senate but did not reap the same results. These special interests have convinced members of the General Assembly that the at-will legislation (H. 3448 and S. 290) is the right thing to do for all employees within our great state. I disagree with the views that a large portion of our elected officials seem to have adopted. Need we remind the members of the electorate they are already under a form of at-will employment? If we as voters do not like their job performance, for any reason whatsoever, we can choose to not re-elect them.

This issue is not just a public safety services employee issue; it [will affect] each employee in South Carolina, including House and Senate members.

This legislation will cause employees in the public and private sectors to fear for their livelihoods and make decisions [based] on what they feel the boss/owner/administrator would want.

We, as a society, have for a long time criticized diminished standards, quality and service provided to the consumer. With the passage of this legislation, all three of the aforementioned criteria will no longer be a worry; there will be no standards to meet, no quality to look for, and service will be minimal at best.

With this legislation affecting nearly everyone who holds a job in South Carolina, the so-called even playing field between employer and employee will almost immediately become a king-of-the-mountain scenario.

I challenge every member of the working society in our great state to challenge his or her elected officials in this matter. Demand that this legislation be either voted down or at least have a true and honest debate where public input could provide additional data for the General Assembly to draw upon.

Making this legislation into law will only generate litigation both against individual employers, but more especially against the state itself, [because] the state's employees will directly be affected. The S.C. Trial Lawyers Association is carefully following this legislation; it will be a [windfall] for their members.

I also challenge the news media to report on this legislation more enthusiastically, for it will affect them as well.

We constantly hear from sources that it is the responsibility of the media to bring to the attention of the public wrong acts the government undertakes.

Make a big deal out of this legislation. We will see additional acts being sent to the General Assembly similar to this as long as no one challenges the actions of the electorate.