Last month the Idaho Supreme Court addressed the rights of at-will employees, affirming summary judgment for the employer on contract and tort claims asserted by a laid-off employee. Ater Wynne attorney Lori Irish Bauman briefed and argued the case on behalf of the employer.
In Bollinger v. Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc., plaintiff claimed, among other things, that she was wrongfully terminated for reporting safety violations to her managers. Under Idaho law, an at-will employee may have a claim for wrongful termination where the employer's motivation for the termination contravenes public policy. But in Bollinger the employer was entitled to summary judgment because plaintiff failed to identify a violation of a particular statute or regulation governing workplace safety. Absent a violation tied to a statute or regulation, plaintiff could not pursue a wrongful termination claim.
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