At‐Will Employment in Florida Government

The cornerstone of the merit system—employee protection from partisan intrigue—is now at risk because of the civil service reform movement. This article examines the American business philosophy of employment at will—unique in the developed world—as an attempt to corporatize state government career service. The origins of the modern civil service, objectives of contemporary reform, and the role of career officials in government are first briefly reviewed. Then, the 2001 radical reform initiative in the “megastate” of Florida known as “Service First” and its defining feature—employment at will—are analyzed. The conclusion speculates on the future of this attempt to change state government.