Opinion ID: 2192876
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Events Preceding Discharge March to June 1980

Text: In early March 1980, Lyon told UPI's counsel, Jack Novatney, that the time had come to do something about Hubbard. At the suggestion of counsel, Lyon asked Richard McFarland (Minnesota State Editor and Minneapolis Bureau Manager) and Jack Graeme (UPI Regional Executive) to provide written evaluations of Hubbard's performance. They wrote critical evaluations on March 9 and March 7, respectively. In addition, Lyon had a set of notes written by JoAnne Bryne, a Minneapolis newsside staffer, complaining about Hubbard's performance, which he had received unsolicited at the end of January. Lyon wanted to dismiss Hubbard immediately. Novatney, however, advised Lyon not to dismiss Hubbard in mid-March because he was in contact with Hubbard's attorney and hoped to arrange a meeting of the principals. Accordingly, Lyon sent another letter to Hubbard on March 10, 1980, in which he stated that no one had seen an improvement in Hubbard's performance, and that Hubbard was on extremely tenuous grounds. On March 18, Novatney called Hubbard's counsel and told him that Hubbard's discharge was very close at hand. When Hubbard's counsel raised the possibility of settlement, Novatney responded that UPI would consider it, but that the most likely result was dismissal. Hubbard's attorney then mentioned, having received Lyon's letter of March 10, that Hubbard would file a discrimination claim. Hubbard did file a discrimination charge with the Department of Human Rights in April. A factfinding hearing was set before the Human Rights Commission for June 26. On or about June 4, Novatney arranged a meeting of the parties and counsel for the 26th. Hubbard then withdrew his charge and commenced his lawsuit on June 23. Because the factfinding session was consequently called off, the meeting was moved to June 25 to accommodate the parties. An attempt was made at this meeting to negotiate a resignation. When an agreement could not be reached, UPI proceeded to discharge Hubbard effective June 28, 1980. This case involves three causes of action: (1) intentional infliction of emotional distress; (2) employment discrimination on the basis of a disability in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act, Minn.Stat. § 363.03, subd. 1 (1978); and (3) retaliatory discharge, also in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act, Minn.Stat. § 363.03, subd. 7 (1980). Hubbard was successful with all three claims in the court below. We hold that the evidence in the record concerning this employment relationship does not, as a matter of law, rise to the level necessary to sustain any of Hubbard's claims.