Opinion ID: 1535986
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: acceptance or refusal of tender

Text: [¶ 12] Port Resort argues that Burke refused its tender of payment by failing to deposit or negotiate the two commission checks that he received. The trial court concluded that: Although Burke clearly made demands upon Port Resort which did not conform to his entitlements under the employment agreement, he did not refuse, either in words or action, to accept any tender by his employer that did conform. To the contrary, he accepted and retained the two modest checks totaling $79.46. We review factual determinations for clear error. See White v. Zela, 1997 ME 8, ¶ 3, 687 A.2d 645, 646. Whether a tender of payment has been refused is a question of fact. See E.S. Herrick Co. v. Maine Wild Blueberry Co., 670 A.2d 944, 946 (Me.1996) (holding that whether an accord and satisfaction exists is a question of fact); Williams v. Ubaldo, 670 A.2d 913, 916 (Me.1996) (holding that whether a waiver has occurred is a question of fact). [¶ 13] Section 626 does not indicate whether an employer is relieved from its obligation to pay an employee leaving employment, if that employee rejects an offer of tender. We need not decide that issue of law in this case, however, because the trial court found acceptance, not rejection, of tender and Port Resort has not demonstrated that the finding is clearly erroneous. [5] [¶ 14] Port Resort presented no evidence showing that Burke refused to accept the payments that it offered. Burke had not deposited or cashed the checks at the time that he filed suit against Port Resort, and the checks were still valid at that time. In addition, Burke did not return the checks to Port Resort or indicate in any other way that he was refusing to accept this tender. Rather, he refused to surrender the checks, retaining them without expressing dissent or condition. Moreover, his dispute over the total amount of wages owed is not evidence that he rejected tender of the undisputed portion of the wages. The trial court did not err in finding that Burke did not refuse to accept a tender of wages by Port Resort.