Opinion ID: 3000767
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Plaintiffs’ Tortious Interference Claims

Text: The plaintiffs first contend that RBC tortiously interfered with their employment relationship with Bank One. Indiana recognizes a cause of action for tortious interference with a party’s employment contract. Trail v. Boys & Girls Clubs of N.W. Indiana, 845 N.E.2d 130, 138 (Ind. 2006). This cause of action extends to an employees’ rights under at-will employment contracts, such as those between Bank One and the plaintiffs. See id. The plaintiffs must establish the following to make out a claim for tortious interference with a contractual relationship: (1) the existence of a valid, enforceable contract; (2) the defendant’s knowledge of the contract’s existence; (3) the defendant’s intent to induce a breach of that contract; (4) the absence of justification; and (5) damages resulting from the defendant’s inducement to breach the contract. Winkler v. V.G. Reed & Sons, Inc., 638 N.E.2d 1228, 1235 (Ind. 1994). To establish that a defendant acted without justification, the plaintiff must establish that the resulting breach was “malicious and exclusively directed to the injury and damage of another.” Bilimoria Computer Sys., LLC v. America Online, Inc., 829 N.E.2d 150, 156-57 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005). Additionally, because the contract at issue here is an at-will employment contract, the plaintiffs also must “show that the defendant interferer acted intentionally and without a legitimate business purpose.” Trail, 845 N.E.2d at 138 (citing Bochnowski v. Peoples Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass’n, 571 N.E.2d 282, 285 (Ind. 1991)). The primary issue here is whether RBC acted without justification when it induced Bank One to terminate the plaintiffs in conjunction with the sale of the Division to RBC. The plaintiffs have come forward with no evidence that RBC was motivated by malice or an intent to injure or damage the plaintiffs. Indeed, RBC offered both plaintiffs positions and it is undisputed that RBC considered employment of Bank One’s employees a key part of its business strategy. Furthermore, the plaintiffs recognize that RBC’s decision to purchase Bank One’s operations was a legitimate business interest: expanding RBC’s own business. Because the plaintiffs cannot establish that RBC acted without justification and without a legitimate business purpose, RBC is entitled to summary judgment on the plaintiffs’ claim of tortious interference with their employment contracts with Bank One.1 1 The plaintiffs also submit that the no-hire provision offends public policy because it violates the Thirteenth Amendment’s prohibition on slavery and (continued...) No. 06-3802 Page 5