Opinion ID: 727597
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Governmental Immunity under Michigan Law

Text: 34 Southfield argues that Howard's claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress is barred by governmental immunity under Michigan law, which provides that: 35 Except as otherwise provided in this act, all governmental agencies shall be immune from tort liability in all cases wherein the government agency is engaged in the exercise or discharge of a governmental function. 36 MICH.COMP.LAWS § 691.1407(1). To determine whether a governmental agency is engaged in a governmental function, the focus must be on the general activity, not the specific conduct involved at the time of the tort. Pardon v. Finkel, 540 N.W.2d 774, 776 (Mich.Ct.App.1995). The rationale for the general activity rule is that using anything other than the general activity standard would all but subvert the broad governmental immunity intended by the Legislature [because] it would be difficult to envision a tortious act that is a governmental function. Smith v. Department of Pub. Health, 410 N.W.2d 749, 779 (Mich.1987) (Brickley, J., concurring), aff'd sub nom. Will v. Michigan Dep't of State Police, 491 U.S. 58 (1989); see Jackson v. City of Detroit, 537 N.W.2d 151, 154 (Mich.1995) (describing governmental immunity as very broad). 37 A governmental function is an activity expressly or impliedly mandated or authorized by the constitution, statute, or other provision of law. Payton v. City of Detroit, 536 N.W.2d 233, 241 (Mich.Ct.App.1995) (citation omitted), leave to appeal denied, 551 N.W.2d 187 (Mich.1996). In the instant case, the hiring of candidates for entry-level firefighter positions is a governmental function prescribed by Michigan statutes. See MICH.COMP.LAWS § 38.507 (providing that appointments to a paid fire department of a municipality must be made only according to qualifications and fitness to be ascertained by competitive examinations and according to the terms of this statute); MICH.COMP.LAWS § 38.512 (providing that [a]ll examinations for positions shall be practical in their character and shall relate to those matters and shall include those inquiries as will fairly and fully test the comparative merit and fitness of the persons examined to discharge the duties of the employment sought by them.). Accordingly, we affirm based on governmental immunity the district court's dismissal of Howard's intentional infliction of emotional distress claim. 38