Right To Work States

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Table

Introduction

Right-to-Work laws exist in more than half of U.S. states. A Right-to-Work law protects workers from being automatically compelled to join a union and pay union dues. Whereas a Worker Union helps secure good wages and safe workplace conditions, Right-to-Work laws give employees the choice to opt out of what would be an otherwise compulsory unionized job. Essentially, Right-to-Work laws protect a worker’s freedom of choice. 

Specifically, these laws protect individual workers from having to participate in collective actions, such as organizing a labor union or being represented by a union. The reason why Right-to-Work has been adopted by law in some places is that in states without Right-to-Work laws in place, workers applying for a job where the employees are unionized are required to join their labor union as a requirement of being hired. 

An employee might not want to join a union for a number of reasons. If the employee values the freedom to negotiate what they’re paid on their own behalf, they may not desire to join a union functioning in their workplace. If they joined, the union would negotiate their wage for them and, in some limited scenarios, it could potentially cost them their job. For example, if a union negotiates for a higher wage successfully, a business may terminate a number of employees to account for the rise in the cost of payroll. 

To learn more about right-to-work laws, scroll the data in the charts.

StateRight-to-Work LawAt-Will Employment Status
AlaskaNoYes
CaliforniaNoYes
ColoradoNoYes
ConnecticutNoYes
DelawareNoYes
HawaiiNoYes
IllinoisNoYes
MaineNoYes
MarylandNoYes
MassachusettsNoYes
MinnesotaNoYes
MissouriNoYes
MontanaNoNo
New HampshireNoYes
New JerseyNoYes
New MexicoNoYes
New YorkNoYes
OhioNoYes
OregonNoYes
PennsylvaniaNoYes
Rhode IslandNoYes
VermontNoYes
WashingtonNoYes
AlabamaYesYes
ArizonaYesYes
ArkansasYesYes
FloridaYesYes
GeorgiaYesYes
IdahoYesYes
IndianaYesYes
IowaYesYes
KansasYesYes
KentuckyYesYes
LouisianaYesYes
MichiganYesYes
MississippiYesYes
NebraskaYesYes
NevadaYesYes
North CarolinaYesYes
North DakotaYesYes
OklahomaYesYes
South CarolinaYesYes
South DakotaYesYes
TennesseeYesYes
TexasYesYes
UtahYesYes
VirginiaYesYes
West VirginiaYesYes
WisconsinYesYes
WyomingYesYes

Right-to-Work Law by State

Alabama

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Yes

Alaska

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Arizona

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Yes

Arkansas

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Yes

California

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No

Colorado

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Connecticut

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Delaware

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No

Florida

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Yes

Georgia

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Yes

Hawaii

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No

Idaho

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Yes

Illinois

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Indiana

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

Iowa

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Yes

Kansas

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Yes

Kentucky

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

Louisiana

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

Maine

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Maryland

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Massachusetts

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No

Michigan

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

Minnesota

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Mississippi

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

Missouri

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Montana

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Nebraska

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

Nevada

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

New Hampshire

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

New Jersey

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

New Mexico

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

New York

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

North Carolina

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

North Dakota

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

Ohio

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Oklahoma

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

Oregon

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Pennsylvania

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Rhode Island

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

South Carolina

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

South Dakota

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

Tennessee

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

Texas

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

Utah

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Yes

Vermont

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

Virginia

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Yes

Washington

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Right-to-Work Law

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No

West Virginia

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Yes

Wisconsin

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Right-to-Work Law

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Yes

Wyoming

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Yes