House Bill 743 Summary

• Abolishes at-will employment in Mississippi and requires employers with 20+ employees to discharge workers only for legitimate, bona fide business reasons after their 90-day probationary period.

• Defines "good faith" discharge and lists 13 prohibited reasons for termination, including retaliation, discrimination based on race/sex/age/religion/national origin, workplace injury, workers' compensation claims, and conduct unrelated to job performance.

• Allows wrongfully discharged employees to recover lost wages, compensatory damages for mental distress and emotional suffering, punitive damages if employer acted recklessly, and up to one additional year of wages as "front pay" if unable to find other employment.

• Caps total damages (punitive plus mental distress) based on employer size: $50,000 for 20-100 employees; $100,000 for 101-200 employees; $200,000 for 201-500 employees; $300,000 for 500+ employees.

• Establishes one-year statute of limitations for lawsuits, grants circuit and county courts jurisdiction, provides jury trial rights, and prohibits employers from waiving protections through arbitration agreements or other contractual provisions.