This, of course, isn't the case if you're an at-will employee.  So, for example, all the lawyers in my office are at-will and, as far as I know, can be fired for pretty much any reason (although it almost never happens).

Whereas in the case of "Career-Service" employees -- secretaries, investigators, paralegals, economists, etc -- the boss needs to have some kind of paper trail justifying termination, and the employee can dispute it.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.