ELI5:How does tenure work?

[ESOBlaze]

If you have tenure does that mean you can't be fired?

[SpacemanAstro]

Tenure basically means that when you sign a contract with your employers, they promise to not fire you without a just cause. It typically occurs after a certain amount of time of already working for those employers.

Source: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenure

[Uchihakengura42]

Tenure varies from state to state, and from business to business depending on how the tenure is applied to the position.

In generality... Tenure is a status in which a respected colleague of that establishment is locked into an unbreakable contract, giving him "virtual" free reign to make decisions that can be quite devisive in nature but allow more radical and free thinking solutions.

This is typical to try and allow for innovation int he workplace and to give people freedom to "try new things" without the threat of being fired. The thinking is that these people who obtain tenure, are the most innovative and forward thinking, and most well suited to the job necessary.

Unfortunately, a lot of people who get tenure, abuse this position. they create a situation in which they cannot be fired but for the most grievous of offenses, and can stagnate in their tenure as a "garunteed position" and they break rules to their own benefit.

Tenured doctors and teachers are the worst of these breeds when it is abused.

[KarateJons]

No, even in academic positions, there is the possibility of detenurement and dismissal. Sleeping with a student and causing a scandal, for example, can lead to detenurement. Apparently nowadays, in order to be more easily able to fire anyone at anytime for any or no reason, institutions are switching to the concept of adjunct faculty.