Opinion ID: 2804396
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Missouri Service Letter Statute

Text: Finally, Schell claims the district court erred in granting summary judgment on his Missouri service letter claim.8 Schell argues Bluebird violated the Missouri service letter statute, Missouri Revised Statute § 290.140, by issuing him a service letter that stated a false reason for his termination. The statute requires employers, in certain circumstances, to provide a letter on the employee’s request “setting forth the nature and character of service rendered by such employee to such corporation and the duration thereof, and truly stating for what cause, if any, such employee was discharged or voluntarily quit such service.” Mo. Rev. Stat. § 290.140.1. As Schell conceded that Bluebird provided a letter and that he never provided that letter to prospective employers, he could only recover nominal damages, and only if he presented sufficient evidence to show that the service letter did not state the true 8 Bluebird argues Schell waived this claim by failing to address it in his opposition to their motion for summary judgment. Schell did fail to address the claim in the argument section of his opposition, but he referenced it in his response to Bluebird’s statement of uncontroverted material facts, and the district court analyzed it and granted summary judgment. We do not need to decide if the claim was waived as it clearly fails on the merits. -13- reason he was terminated. See Callantine v. Staff Builders, Inc., 271 F.3d 1124, 1132 (8th Cir. 2001) (nominal damages are available even without proof of actual damages, and punitive damages are only available if the employee shows the employer acted with malice in failing to respond to a service letter request); Herberholt v. dePaul Cmty. Health Ctr., 625 S.W.2d 617, 621-24 (Mo. banc 1981) (while actual damages require a showing that plaintiff lost an employment opportunity because of an improper service letter, nominal damages are available if plaintiff shows his service letter did not state the true reason for his discharge). Schell’s service letter stated he was terminated because his position was eliminated. Schell asserts he was terminated in retaliation for his protected activity, relying on the same evidence that was insufficient to prove his FCA retaliation claim. He relies primarily on Fogle’s account, but Fogle never stated Schell’s termination was in any way related to his complaints; rather Fogle testified the Board initially instructed him to terminate Schell without cause and then later instructed him to do so because the position was being eliminated. And while Schell contends that his position was essential to the success of the company, the evidence shows Bluebird has never reinstated the Vice President of Operations’ position after Schell’s termination. As Schell has failed to raise any genuine issue as to whether his service letter stated a false reason for his termination, we affirm the district court’s grant of summary judgment on this claim.