Opinion ID: 2547502
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Analysis: Contractual Provisions

Text: ¶ 19 In his memorandum opposing summary judgment to the district court-and in his opening brief to this courtOman argued that the District breached the Classified Agreement by failing to follow the procedures contained therein. We disagree and conclude that the district court was correct in holding that Oman's arguments failed, as a matter of law, based on the Classified Agreement. ¶ 20 Oman first argues that section 8.5.3(1) of the Classified Agreement required the District to notify him when his actions placed his continued employment at risk. Second, Oman argues that section 8.5.4(1) required the District to inform him that his continued employment was in question, inform him of the reasons, and give him an opportunity to correct the problems. Third, Oman argues that section 8.3 of the Classified Agreement required the District to conduct individual employee evaluations at least once annually. Oman asserts that he did not receive such evaluations and that an evaluation would quickly have addressed and resolved any problems associated with his activities. ¶ 21 On summary judgment, the district court reviewed Oman's claims and the Classified Agreement. It concluded that, as a matter of law, the Classified Agreement provides for a dual track of termination: one for unsatisfactory conduct ... and the second for cause. The court further concluded that [t]ermination for cause under the Classified Agreement is sufficient grounds, standing alone, for termination, and no prior notice or warning, or opportunity to correct the conduct[] is required to be afforded to the employee. Finally, the court determined that [t]here exists no issue of material fact that [Oman] was properly terminated by [the District] for cause under the terms of the Classified Agreement, or that [the District] was not contractually required to give any prior notice, opportunity to be heard, or progressive discipline to [Oman] prior to his termination. Based on these determinations, the district court granted summary judgment in favor of the District on Oman's breach of contract claim. We affirm the district court's grant of summary judgment. ¶ 22 If the terms of a contract are unambiguous, the contract may be interpreted as a matter of law. Green River Canal Co. v. Thayn, 2003 UT 50, ¶ 17, 84 P.3d 1134 (internal quotation marks omitted). Like the district court, we find that the terms of the Classified Agreement are unambiguous and we therefore interpret them as a matter of law. ¶ 23 We first address Oman's claim that he was entitled to notice when his actions placed his employment at risk. This claim is based on section 8.5.3(1) of the Classified Agreement. Oman's reliance on this section is misguided. Under the Classified Agreement, there are two tracks of termination. The first is termination for unsatisfactory action or conduct, which is addressed in section 8.5.3(1). The second is termination for cause, which is addressed in section 8.5.3(2). Oman was terminated for cause under section 8.5.3(2). [4] Accordingly, the procedures governing termination for unsatisfactory conduct contained in section 8.5.3(1) do not apply, and Oman was, therefore, not contractually entitled to them. ¶ 24 We next address Oman's claim that he was entitled to notice and an opportunity to correct the problem. This claim is based on section 8.5.4(1) of the Classified Agreement. Again, Oman's reliance is misplaced. Section 8.5.4(1) contains the notice requirements applicable when an employee's contract is not being renewed. These requirements do not apply to Oman because his termination was not due to the District's decision not to renew his contract; rather, he was terminated during his contract term. Accordingly, the notice provisions of section 8.5.4(2) apply. That section specifies the notification requirements when an employee is terminated during his contract term. Oman has not argued that the District failed to meet these notification requirements. Indeed, the record shows that the District met them. ¶ 25 Finally, we address Oman's claim that he was entitled to performance evaluations under section 8.3 of the Classified Agreement. We agree with Oman that the terms of the Classified Agreement specify that the District should evaluate each permanent employee at least once annually. Nevertheless, this requirement does not bear on Oman's termination. The evaluation requirements in section 8.3 are exclusive of the termination procedures in section 8.5. Thus, any failure of the District to give performance evaluations does not preclude the District from terminating an employee under the procedures contained in the Classified Agreement. The issue in this case is whether the District properly followed the termination procedures in the Classified Agreement when it fired Oman. Whether the District conducted performance evaluations of its employees has no bearing on the resolution of this issue. ¶ 26 We therefore hold that the district court properly interpreted the Classified Agreement. As a matter of law, the District was not contractually obligated to satisfy the procedural requirements that Oman argued were required thereunder.