NOLENSVILLE, TN (WCMH) – While people all over the country participated in “A Day Without Immigrants” protests, one business in Nolensville, Tennesee, has fired 18 people for joining the movement.

Nearly 20 employees at Bradley Coatings, Incorporated in Tennessee were told they no longer had jobs on Thursday morning, a day after those employees took part in the nationwide strike.

“We are the team leaders directly under the supervisors, and they informed us last night that we could not go back to work and the boss said we were fired,” one employee told WTVF. The employee asked to remain anonymous, but said that the workers who participated in “A Day Without Immigrants” planned to make up the missed day on a Sunday.

“I would tell him that he was unfair, after working for them for so many years,” the employee said.

However, whether the termination was unfair or not doesn’t matter in the Volunteer State.

“Tennesee is an employment-at-will state, which basically means an employer can end your employment at anytime without reason or cause,” said Chris Cannon, a spokesperson with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. “Of course, there are a lot of different stipulations, civil rights issues that could stop them from doing that.”

Bradley Coatings, Inc. released a statement through the company’s attorney. It reads: