Opinion ID: 3012663
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Bad Faith in Board Review

Text: Fraser next argues that the Board’s review of his termination was a “sham.” He contends that, when the Board was split 2-2 whether to affirm his termination, Nationwide’s employee did not in good faith consider his case but rather was essentially instructed by Nationwide management to affirm his dismissal. Nationwide replies that, because the Board review process was not guaranteed 12 in his Agreement with Nationwide, Fraser had no contractual right to Board review at all. And while it argues that the specifics of the Board review process were discussed in the Handbook, it contends that the Handbook was not incorporated into the Agreement and thus did not contractually bind Nationwide. See Jacques v. AZKO Int’l Salt, Inc., 619 A.2d 748, 753 (Pa. Super. 1993) (“An employee handbook only forms the basis of an implied contract if the employee shows that the employer affirmatively intended that it do so.”). According to Nationwide, because it did not intend the Handbook to be a contractual right, there can be no breach of any implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing with respect to Board review. Even assuming that his Agreement with Nationwide entitles Fraser to a review because a Board review procedure currently exists in the Handbook, Fraser has not made the case that Nationwide acted in bad faith. There is no record evidence to suggest that it was inappropriate (albeit counterintuitive) for a Nationwide employee to act as a tiebreaker if the Board was divided. More to the core, there is no evidence that the Board’s decision would even be binding — as opposed to merely advisory — on Nationwide. Fraser has failed to meet his burden of proof on this issue and thus the District Court correctly granted summary judgment in favor of Nationwide.