Case Name: OTS ELEVATOR COMPANY, Appellant/Cross Appellee, v. William F. SCOTT, Appellee/Cross Appellant
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1989-03-08
Citations: 551 So. 2d 489
Docket Number: No. 85-1995
Parties: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY, Appellant/Cross Appellee, v. William F. SCOTT, Appellee/Cross Appellant.
Judges: ANSTEAD, GLICKSTEIN, JJ., and KLEIN, HERBERT M., Associate Judge, concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 551
Pages: 489–492

Head Matter:
OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY, Appellant/Cross Appellee, v. William F. SCOTT, Appellee/Cross Appellant.
No. 85-1995.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
March 8, 1989.
Rehearing and Rehearing En Banc Denied Nov. 8, 1989.
Certification Granted Nov. 8, 1989.
Edna L. Caruso of Edna L. Caruso, P.A., West Palm Beach, and Mark E. Levitt of Hogg, Allen, Ryce, Norton & Blue, P.A., Tampa, for appellant/cross appellee.
Cathy Jackson Lerman of Cathy Jackson Lerman, P.A., and Earle Lee Butler of Butler & Petit, P.A., Fort Lauderdale, for ap-pellee/cross appellant.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
In our earlier decision, Otis Elevator Company v. Scott, 503 So.2d 941 (Fla. 4th DCA 1987), we felt compelled to reverse because of the broad language in Broward Builders Exchange, Inc. v. Goehring, 231 So.2d 513 (Fla.1970), but certified the following question as being of great public importance:
Are actions for wrongful discharge brought pursuant to section 440.205, Florida Statutes (1979), governed by Broward Builders Exchange, Inc. v. Goehring, 231 So.2d 513 (Fla.1970)?
We also concluded that our holding on the issue of the statute of limitations rendered it unnecessary to consider the remaining issues.
Appellee sought review of the case in the Supreme Court of Florida, 524 So.2d 642 (Fla.1988), which answered the above question in the negative, quashed our opinion and remanded the case to us for consideration of the remaining issues.
Having considered same, we again reverse, but remand for new trial. Taking the remaining issues, as presented by appellant, we first conclude that the trial court did not err in failing to grant a directed verdict against the employee altogether, notwithstanding the weak evidence. Moreover, the employer did not raise the argument that the trial court erred in not granting a directed verdict or ordering remittitur as to the $100,000 award for past lost wages; therefore we decline to consider it here.
However, the trial court did err in not granting a directed verdict or in not ordering a remittitur as to the $200,000 award for lost future wages. Appellee failed to establish with reasonable certainty that his loss of future wages was the result of a wrongful discharge. His brief makes no contention that he attempted to find other work at a similar pay, or that his firing had hindered his ability to do so, and cites no portion of the record indicating he felt reinstatement was not a viable alternative because of the animosity between the parties.
Most important, we hold the trial court erred in excluding the testimony of Willie James Ferguson. See In re Estate of Lochhead, 443 So.2d 283, 284 (Fla. 4th DCA 1983); First Republic Corp. of America v. Hayes, 431 So.2d 624 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983), petition for review denied, 441 So.2d 632 (Fla.1983).
As for the cross appeal, the trial court did not err in failing to award prejudgment interest because the plaintiff never requested it of the trial court. Should appellee prevail on remand and request interest, the trial court shall then determine whether he is entitled to it pursuant to the requirements of Argonaut Insurance Company v. May Plumbing Company, 474 So.2d 212 (Fla.1985).
Finally the trial court did not err in refusing to instruct the jury on damages for mental pain and suffering and humiliation. Appellee did not sufficiently plead the separate tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress; and it is questionable as a matter of law whether the actions of the employer are so outrageous as to state such a cause of action. See Metropolitan Life Insurance Company v. McCarson, 467 So.2d 277 (Fla.1985); McConnell v. Eastern Airlines, Inc., 499 So.2d 68, 69 (Fla. 3d DCA 1986) (in order to constitute a tort conduct must be extreme and outrageous). Cf. Corder v. Champion Road Machinery Intern. Corp., 283 S.C. 520, 324 S.E.2d 79 (S.C. Ct.App.1984), cert. denied, 286 S.C. 126, 332 S.E.2d 533 (S.C.1985) (retaliatory discharge for filing workers compensation claim, without more, does not constitute extreme and outrageous conduct). On remand, the matter should proceed to trial upon the issues framed by the pleadings as they existed when this appeal was brought.
ANSTEAD, GLICKSTEIN, JJ., and KLEIN, HERBERT M., Associate Judge, concur.