Opinion ID: 511547
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Remaining Pendent Claims

Text: 86 In pertinent part, the Colvin memorandum stated: This is not the first time that the office of the Cashier has called malfeasance to the attention of the Athletic Director.... App. at 14; see also above at 258. The complaint alleges that this statement 87 is defamatory and libelous per se in that it tends or was reasonably calculated to injure [appellant] in his reputation, profession, and community standing by charging that [appellant] was guilty of multiple acts of malfeasance. 88 Complaint at p 38, App. at 10. This allegation is plainly mistaken. The memo does not accuse Hall of malfeasance; it merely states that acts of malfeasance within the Department have previously been brought to the Director's attention. Although appellant now attempts to argue that the memorandum is defamatory because it implies that Hall was unresponsive to malfeasance within his department, this is not the theory presented in the complaint. We will not permit appellant to amend his complaint at this stage. It is well settled that issues and legal theories not asserted at the District Court level ordinarily will not be heard on appeal. District of Columbia v. Air Florida, Inc., 750 F.2d 1077, 1084 (D.C.Cir.1984).
89 Appellant's final claim is that the dismissal was wrongful because it violated public policy. According to appellant, even an at-will employee cannot be terminated for reasons that violate public policy. Appellant alleges that his dismissal violated the public policy protecting free speech by employees, as codified in D.C.Code Ann. Secs. 1-616.1 et seq. (1981). Complaint at paragraphs 44-48, App. at 11. The district court properly rejected this claim. 90 In considering this pendent claim, we are of course bound by the law of the District of Columbia, as authoritatively interpreted by the D.C. Court of Appeals. In Ivy v. Army Times Publishing Co., 428 A.2d 831 (D.C.1981) (en banc), the D.C. Court of Appeals refused to rehear an unpublished memorandum opinion that had affirmed the dismissal of an employee's complaint. The panel had followed Taylor v. Greenway, 173 A.2d 211 (D.C.1961), and Pfeffer v. Ernst, 82 A.2d 763, 764 (D.C.1951), which held that an employment contract of indefinite duration may be terminated for any reason by either party, and refused to create an exception to this rule for dismissals that violate public policy. Three of the eight members of the Court of Appeals dissented from the denial of rehearing en banc. The dissenters recognized that the panel was bound by Taylor and Pfeffer, and thought that the en banc court should reconsider those cases insofar as they barred a cause of action for wrongful termination. 428 A.2d at 831. A fourth judge agreed that the case should be reheard en banc, but did not concur fully in the accompanying dissent's statement. 428 A.2d at 836. 91 The clear lesson of Ivy is that the District of Columbia does not currently recognize a public policy exception to the at-will termination doctrine. See Downey v. Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., 630 F.Supp. 676, 681 (D.D.C.1986); Parker v. National Corp. for Housing Partnerships, 619 F.Supp. 1061, 1067-68 (D.D.C.1985); Weaver v. Gross, 605 F.Supp. 210, 216 (D.D.C.1985). Contra Newman v. Legal Servs. Corp., 628 F.Supp. 535, 538-39 (D.D.C.1986). Cf. Minihan v. American Pharmaceutical Ass'n, 812 F.2d 726, 729 n. 2 (D.C.Cir.1987) (D.C. has not yet recognized cause of action for breach of implied contractual covenant of good faith).III. CONCLUSION 92 We affirm the district court's conclusion that the government's interest in ensuring the effective administration of the University outweighed appellant's right to speak on matters of public concern within his area of responsibility. We also agree that appellant has failed to state a cause of action for violation of his right to property and liberty without due process, for breach of contract and promissory estoppel, for defamation, and for wrongful termination. The judgment of the district court is therefore 93 AFFIRMED.