Is there? I literally have no idea how many states respect that doctrine wrt at-will employment, particularly outside of CA. The limits to PE claims are based on your lost income from previous job, not compensation you would have received (which a contract dispute would theoretically avail to you). Right?
Sure. All US states recognize promissory estoppel doctrine, and I'm not aware of any state statues which specifically bar it in employment cases. Damages in a PE case-- "reliance" damages-- could certainly include lost income from a job you quit in reliance on an offer from another employer. But they could also include any other harm you suffered by virtue of relying on it (relocation expenses would be a canonical example here). Yes, those damages would also be available in a breach of contract case. Source: Myself (More than a decade consulting on contract and employment litigation; currently a law student; just got an A in contract law).
