Contrary to popular perception, an employer usually does not need to show just cause, or that an employee is performing badly or has violated a workplace rule, in order to terminate an employee. Only where the workplace is governed by a collective bargaining agreement or the employer is a public entity is the employer required to make a just cause showing before terminating an employee. Other private employees are employed at will, meaning that the employer may fire the employee at any time, for any reason or no reason at all, as long as the reason is not illegal. An illegal reason would be, for example, a reason that violates federal or state anti-discrimination laws.