this post was submitted on 31 Dec 2024
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Summary

Judge Stephen Yekel, 74, died by suicide in his courtroom on his last day in office after losing a re-election bid.

He was found Tuesday morning at Effingham County State Courthouse, with investigators believing the incident occurred late Monday or early Tuesday.

Yekel, appointed in 2022, had recently attempted to resign but was denied by Governor Brian Kemp.

He was also facing a wrongful termination lawsuit from a former court employee.

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[–] grue 28 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

Well, GA is employment at will so, unless there’s some special law for judges I don’t know about, I’m guessing the ‘rejection’ is more symbolic than anything.

"At-will employment" just means they're kneecapping the unions. It doesn't mean an individual's job can't be governed by an actual negotiated contract with terms different from "either party may end the agreement at any time for any reason without prior notice;" that's merely the default when no such contract exists. Actors, for example, often have actual employment contracts so they can't just abandon their portrayal of a recurring character without consequences.

I don't know if there are special employment terms for elected judges (or elected officials in general) in GA either, but I don't know that it would necessarily require a "law" (as opposed to administrative rule or even just convention) and I'm guessing I think it's more likely than you do.

[–] MirthfulAlembic 13 points 5 days ago (1 children)

At-will has little to do with curbing union power. You are thinking of right to work laws.

At-will is, as you mentioned, the default that absent a contract either party can unilaterally terminate the employment relationship except for a reason explicitly prohibited by law, like due to being part of a protected class.

Right to work laws harm unions because they allow individuals in a workplace under union contract to opt out of paying union dues while still benefitting from the agreement, draining the union of resources so it cannot be effective in the future.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 4 days ago

At-will has little to do with curbing union power. You are thinking of right to work laws.

At-will is, as you mentioned, the default that absent a contract either party can unilaterally terminate the employment relationship

If you don't think this curbs union power, then I can't even think of something to say here.