Opinion ID: 1640643
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: do the laws of mississippi allow for individual liability for the tort of retaliatory discharge even if the individual defendant's participation in the discharge was in the course and scope of his employment?

Text: ¶ 19. We agree with the Fifth Circuit that this second certified question need only be answered if we resolved the first certified question in DeCarlo's favor. Since we answered the first question in favor of DeCarlo, we move now to this second certified question. ¶ 20. In DeCarlo, the Fifth Circuit determined that there is a split in authority from other jurisdictions on this issue by noting: At least three states, West Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, permit individual liability for the tort of wrongful retaliatory discharge for individuals who personally participate in the discharge as the principal protagonist even if the individual was acting within the scope of his employment. See Ballinger v. Delaware River Port Auth., 172 N.J. 586, 800 A.2d 97, 110 (N.J. 2002) (describing rule in New Jersey and Pennsylvania); Harless v. First Nat'l Bank, 169 W.Va. 673, 289 S.E.2d 692, 698-99 (W.Va.1982) (The discharge serves to fix responsibility on the employer but this does not mean that another employee who has been the principal protagonist in obtaining the employee's discharge would not also be liable.). This individual liability even extends to persons who participate in the decision, but did not actually fire the plaintiff. Id. On the other hand, other state courts would deny individual liability in this case, because (1) individual liability could be imposed only if the employee acted outside of the scope of his employment and in his own interest, see Bourgeous v. Horizon Healthcare Corp., 117 N.M. 434, 872 P.2d 852, 855-56 (N.M. 1994), which is not the case here; or (2) the tort of retaliatory discharge was intended only to impose liability on the corporate entity itself and not individual defendants, see Rebarchek v. Farmers Co-op. Elevator, 272 Kan. 546, 35 P.3d 892, 903 (Kan.2001); Reno v. Baird, 18 Cal.4th 640, 76 Cal.Rptr.2d 499, 957 P.2d 1333, 1347 (Cal.1998); Buckner v. Atl. Plant Maint., Inc., 182 Ill.2d 12, 694 N.E.2d 565, 569, 230 Ill.Dec. 596 (1998) ([T]he power to hire and fire employees is ultimately possessed only by the employer. Consequently, the tort of retaliatory discharge may be committed only by the employer. The agent or employee who carries out the employer's decision to fire will not be subject to personal liability for retaliatory discharge.). DeCarlo, 512 F.3d at 176 (footnote omitted). ¶ 21. We find nothing in McArn or its progeny which would extend the narrowly carved-out exceptions to our employment-at-will doctrine to create individual liability for the tort of retaliatory discharge if the individual defendant/co-employee's participation in the discharge was deemed to be in the course and scope of the individual defendant's employment. In McArn, we clearly limited liability to the employer and not the employee. McArn, 626 So.2d at 607. Likewise, in Willard I, this Court stated that [a]nyone who terminates an employee for reporting illegal acts may be liable, thus clearly referring to liability on the part of the employer. Willard I, 681 So.2d at 543. Finally, in this Court's recent decision in Jones, v. Fluor Daniel Services Corp., 959 So.2d 1044, 1046-48 (Miss.2007), we clearly discussed the plaintiffs' wrongful discharge claim only in the context of potential liability on the part of the employer. ¶ 22. Also, limiting liability to the employer in the present case is consistent with the doctrine of respondeat superior as well as the concepts of principal and agency. See e.g., Children's Med. Group, P.A. v. Phillips, 940 So.2d 931, 935 (Miss.2006) (Under the doctrine of respondeat superior, the master is liable for the acts of his servant which are done in the course of his employment and in the furtherance of the master's business. (citation omitted)); Lane v. Oustalet, 873 So.2d 92, 95-96 (Miss.2004) (agent's knowledge and information gained in conducting principal's business is imputed to principal). ¶ 23. We are thus satisfied that our McArn -created exceptions were intended only to impose liability on the employer and not on individual defendants who are acting in the course and scope of their employment when participating in the discharge giving rise to the retaliatory discharge claim. Thus, we quickly dispatch this second question by answering the question in the negative. ¶ 24. For the reasons stated, we answer the second certified question by finding that the laws of Mississippi do not allow for individual liability for the tort of retaliatory discharge even if the individual defendant's participation in the discharge was in the course and scope of the individual defendant's employment. ¶ 25. CERTIFIED QUESTIONS ANSWERED. SMITH, C.J., WALLER AND DIAZ, P.JJ., GRAVES, DICKINSON, RANDOLPH AND LAMAR, JJ., CONCUR. EASLEY, J., CONCURS IN PART AND IN RESULT.