Preview

You Be the Judge Essay Example

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1091 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
You Be the Judge Essay Example
CASE EXAMPLE A: Elaine has sued Jerry because Jerry fired her. Elaine was on the job for two months. The job offer letter she had been given mentioned the great career opportunities at the company and stated that her annual salary would be $30,000. The employer is an employment at will employer. Elaine was given no reason for the termination. After the termination, Jerry hired a man named Kramer, who had less job experience and education than Elaine, for the position. Elaine has sued to get her job back.

The legal issues in the case of Elaine X v. Jerry Employer involve exceptions to the “At Will Employer” doctrine and various types of discrimination and their role in the termination of the plaintiff. There are several questions that must be answered before a ruling can be made in this case. Was the employer within his right to dismiss the plaintiff? Is there sufficient evidence to show the defendant was discriminatory against the plaintiff? The Plaintiff in this case could argue that she is the victim of wrongful termination by her former employer, and because of this she should be reinstated to her former position within the company. While the defendant in this case is an “at will employer,” meaning he can legally discharge an employee at any time for any reason, Elaine could claim that the “contract exception” to the Employment at Will Doctrine applies to her case. This would mean that in this situation there was an “implied-in-fact contract” that was created between the employer and her, at the time of hiring. In the job offer letter Elaine received from the company it stated, “her annual salary would be $30,000” and that she would have, “great career opportunities.” The word “annual” in terms of salary, means that she would be paid on a yearly basis, implying that she was hired to work there for at least a year, but more likely several. Also, in the mentioning of career opportunities it is reasonable to believe that the word “career” meant longer than 2

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The district court claimed that an express enforceable employment contract covered the same subject for the unjust-enrichment claim. On the second motion, the court dismissed the oral contract claim because there was a material price term in the oral contract which was never agreed upon and therefore the contract was not enforceable. Drew appealed the district court for determining there was an express oral employment contract separate and apart from the promise; and it prematurely dismissed the unjust-enrichment claim considering the Thomas Motors transfer was not enforceable.…

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Facts: The Plaintiff Zelma Mitchell was terminated on June 4, 1974, for alleged misconduct from the Lovington Good Samaritan Center, Inc. Mitchell applied for unemployment compensation benefits on June 12, 1974, she was denied these benefits finding that Mitchells act were constituted as misconduct. Being denied disqualified her for…

    • 526 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The legal issue in this case is Penny Bachelder claims her employer, America West Airlines, violated the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 ("FMLA" or "the Act") when it terminated her in 1996 for poor attendance. Bachelder countered that according to the regulations implementing the FMLA, she was entitled to have her leave eligibility calculated by the method most favorable to her. Under a calendar year method of calculating leave eligibility, she contended, her February 1996 absences were protected by the FMLA, and America West had violated the Act by relying on those absences in deciding to fire her. The district court granted partial summary judgment to America West, holding that Bachelder was not entitled to the Act 's protection for her 1996 absences. Bachelder appealed the district court 's subsequent finding, after a bench trial, that, in deciding to fire her, America West did not impermissibly consider FMLA-protected leave she took in 1994…

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Facts: Ms. Deters, the plaintiff, sued Equifax, the defendant, in the United States District Court for the district of Kansas after being sexually harassed on several different occasions by three different co-workers and also the original male supervisor. Violating Title VII, prohibiting discrimination of employees based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin. Ms. Deters filed multiple complaints on the daily sexual harassment that had taken place at the office. Mr. Taylor indicated he would handle the sexual harassment, him being the highest managerial position in the office. Mr. Taylor was also designated by Equifax to enact its human resource policies. The courts entry of judgment in the favor of the employee denied the defendants motion on the issue of punitive damages. However, Equifax did not agree with the decision of the court and wanted a judgment as a mater of law de novo. Equifax litigates that the evidence was not in support of the punitive damages.…

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Harrison V

    • 852 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The court case Harrison v. Benchmark Electronics Huntsville involves a dispute concerning the employment of John Harrison (plaintiff) at a company called Benchmark Electronics Huntsville Inc (BEHI). Aerotek is a company that helps with placing temporary workers at BEHI and they assigned the plaintiff to work at the company as a Debug Tech. The plaintiff suffers from epilepsy, but he takes barbiturates to help keep his condition under control and it was determined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that this isn't considered a disability as noted by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The company screens their temporary employees if their supervisor suggests them for permanent positions and with a request made by his supervisor Don Anthony, on May 19, 2006, the plaintiff submitted an application for permanent employment. The plaintiff consented to a drug test that came back positive as noted by Lena Williams who was employed in the human resources department of the company.…

    • 852 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Chapter 39 Questions

    • 608 Words
    • 2 Pages

    This case involves itself within The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The NLRA allows employees the right to form a union, to bargain collectively through a representative chosen on their own, and etc. Hence, employers have their rights but also obligations under the NLRA. The NLRA does not allow employers to discriminate or take part in any unfair…

    • 608 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Case Studies

    • 1656 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Issue: Can Mrs. Mitchell be award unemployment compensation if she violated rules in the work, which would lead to misconduct?…

    • 1656 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The legal issue in this case is about David Dunlap the plaintiff who has been faced with discrimination on the basis of race in the interview at Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) during the employment process of this company. Mr. Dunlap is an African American man whom has worked for many years as foreman through contract for the union. He has worked as a contractor with the union at Tennessee Authority as a boiler man for over twenty years including fifteen years as a foreman. He has applied for employment at TVA numerous times since 1970 and was not once offered an interview. Mr. Dunlap has established that regardless of experience and during the hiring development, the company has allowed racial favoritism. The court has to recognize if the business is legally responsible under title VII of the civil rights act of 1964 for racial bias with intent. Mr. Dunlap has claimed the case under disparate impact and disparate treatment investigation. (Walsh, 2010)…

    • 1097 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Companies Response to an Ex-Employee’s Claim of Constructive Discharge and the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Law…

    • 1674 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Human Resources Task 1 V2

    • 3137 Words
    • 13 Pages

    I was advised the employee resigned due to the company’s new policy on shift work. All of the production staff would be required to work 4 days in a row,10 hours per day anytime between Monday and Sunday creating a clear distinction between the office staff’s schedule which runs Monday thru Friday 8-5pm. The employee filed a claim against The Toy Company as the new policy allegedly discriminates against his religious beliefs by requiring him to work on Holy Days. The employee filed the claim under section 703 (a)(1) of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 claiming constructive discharge. The allegation states that The Toy Company made the work conditions so unbearable due to religious discrimination; he had no choice but to quit his current job. While employees who quit usually rescind unemployment benefits and the right to sue The Toy Company later on, constructive discharge is the exception to the rule. However, the employee must prove that the working conditions were so unbearable, that a reasonable person would feel the urge to resign as well due to discrimination or because the company policy was outside the norm of any other public policy addressing the same situation. (Finnegan, Spring 1986)…

    • 3137 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    References: Muhl, J. (2001) The employment-at-will doctrine: three major exceptions Retrieved April 13, 2012 from findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1153/is_1_124/ai_71704724…

    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    5th Edition, New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Retrieved April 1, 2007, from University of Phoenix, Resource, MGT434-Employment Law…

    • 2010 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    You Are the Judge

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Plaintiff can state that she was discriminated based on gender and seek damages due to a breach of contract through the contract exception under the employment at will doctrine (p. 415). In regards to the wrongful termination on the basis sexual discrimination, the plaintiff can claim this because the male employee that replaced Elaine had less experience and education. Although the employer is an at-will employer it is does not need to have employment contracts. The plaintiff can argue that an implied-in-fact contract (p. 416) was enacted between them due to the job offer letter and falls under the contract exception to the doctrine. This implied contract was established with the job offer letter which stated “an annual salary of $30,000” and where Elaine has “great career opportunities”. The annual salary, which at least classifies the contract for a year, and then also the use of the term career, both imply a long term commitment from the company. Also, the plaintiff can argue that she never received an evaluation…

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    On January 5, Mrs. Bennett started working at Rikards-Hayley, an investment banking firm located at 121 Centre St., New York, New York. Her first job was in training and development, where she received nothing but superior evaluation from her supervisors. At precisely two years ago, she was promoted to acting manager of the department. As acting manager she received superior evaluation. Five months into the job Mrs. Bennett was notified that the company was going to fill the manager position and she applied for the position. She was told by her supervisor, Darren Blackwood, that management liked her but she did not quite fit the image they were seeking. She needed to lose weight and change her attitude towards he male employees. She was told that she was “too assertive.” Mrs. Bennett was not hired as manager; instead the company hired Martina Yardley. After Mrs. Yardley was hired, Mrs. Bennett claimed she was made miserable. Yardley criticized her work constantly and also made comments about her appearance. Two months ago Mrs. Bennett was fired. When male employees were terminated from Rikards-Hayley, they commonly receive severance package consisting of one year’s salary; Bennett’s severance package contained on six months’ salary. As a result of her treatment at work, Bennett claims she suffered physically and emotionally. To date her medical bills have totaled $2500. She has also been unable to find work; she earned $150,000 before she was terminated.…

    • 643 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    As a manager and supervisor of an accounting department, discuss the following issues related to the employment-at-will doctrine and liability of an employer based on actions and responses to the employee’s behavior and actions. Jennifer, a recent graduate, has recently been hired by your accounting firm out of college. Upon being hired, she engages in a number of different behaviors that need your attention.…

    • 2523 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays