Employee Communications: Arizona

Federal law and guidance on this subject should be reviewed together with this section.

Author: Paige A. Martin and Daniel Press, Kutak Rock LLP

Summary

• Arizona employees are generally at-will. See Employment at Will.
• Arizona employers may be sued for making discriminatory comments under certain circumstances. See Discriminatory Comments.
• Arizona's "little FTC Act" allows the Arizona Attorney General to file claims against employers who violate the act. See "Little FTC" Actions.
• Employee whistleblowers have certain protections under Arizona law. See Whistleblower Protections.
• Restrictive covenants in Arizona employment contracts may be enforceable if the restrictions are reasonable, protect an employer's legitimate interest, do not cause undue hardship to the former employee and are not against public policy. See Restrictive Covenants in Employment Contracts.
• Arizona employers and employees may be sued for defamation. Slander is spoken defamation; libel is written defamation. However, Arizona employers enjoy qualified immunity regarding job references. See Defamation.
• An employer can record a conversation between employees or between an employee and a third party in Arizona if the employer is a party to the conversation, or one of the individuals involved in the conversation consents. See Privacy and Communications.
• Arizona employers must display certain posters at the workplace in a conspicuous location. See Required Postings.
• In Arizona, there is no statewide ban on using handheld mobile devices while driving, or on reading or sending text-based communications on mobile devices. See Use of Mobile Devices.
• Threatening communications by employers are prohibited. See Threatening Communications.