Opinion ID: 880569
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: should the court have instructed the jury on the issue of retaliation?

Text: It is an unlawful discriminatory practice for any employer to discriminate against an individual because he has filed a complaint, testified, or participated in any manner in an investigation or proceedings before the Human Rights Commission. Section 49-2-301, MCA. Plaintiff testified that he was retaliated against by his employer in that the employer refused to give him a letter of reference because he had sued the company, and that he was not included in the company and employee functions after he had sued the company. Under the statutes, acts of retaliation for participating in proceedings before the Human Rights Commission are discrimination actions separate and apart from the claim of discrimination in the original proceedings. It might possibly be considered evidence of bad faith in the original termination of employment as well as in the retaliation. Plaintiff was therefore entitled to instructions to the jury based on his claim of retaliation, as it was for the jury to determine whether such retaliation actually existed. He was further entitled to comment on such retaliation in oral argument.