Opinion ID: 1208099
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: whether an employment contract was formed between the district and brown for the 1991-92 school year

Text: In December of 1990, assistant superintendent Moore informed Brown that her name appeared on the tentative 1991-92 roster for Lincoln School and that the roster was tentative only in the sense that some of the teachers listed might retire or seek a different position. Brown claims that these communications gave rise to an employment contract for the 1991-92 school year and that the District's decision not to reemploy her was, therefore, a breach of contract. The district court disagreed and granted the District's motion for summary judgment on this issue. The communications which Brown claims gave rise to an employment contract were not made by the Board, but by assistant superintendent Moore. Accordingly, it is necessary to determine at the outset whether Moore had any type of authority to enter into an employment contract on behalf of the Board. The burden of establishing an agency relationship is on the party asserting it. Transamerica Leasing Corp. v. Van's Realty Co., Inc., 91 Idaho 510, 427 P.2d 284 (1967). Since Brown has pointed to no evidence of express or implied authority in the record, the question becomes whether Moore had apparent authority. We conclude that he did not. Apparent authority is created when a principal voluntarily places an agent in such a position that a reasonable person, conversant with the business usages and nature of the particular business, is justified in believing that the agent is acting pursuant to existing authority. Clark v. Gneiting, 95 Idaho 10, 12, 501 P.2d 278, 280 (1972). Certainly the communications from Moore imply that he was authorized to speak on behalf of the Board and that the District intended to reemploy Brown. However, apparent authority cannot be created by the acts or statements of the alleged agent alone. E.g., Idaho Title Co. v. American States Ins. Co., 96 Idaho 465, 468, 531 P.2d 227, 230 (1975). During the 1990-91 school year, Brown worked for a time before a formal employment contract was executed. This ratification of an informal employment agreement is an action by the Board which could give rise to a belief that District administrators are authorized to enter into informal employment contracts. The issue is whether such a belief is reasonable. Section 33-513 of the Idaho Code sets out a detailed procedure to be followed when a school district seeks to employ professional personnel. [4] Since Brown can be fairly charged with knowledge of this provision, Powers v. Canyon County, 108 Idaho 967, 703 P.2d 1342 (1985), any belief on her part that Moore could contract with her outside of the statutory procedure was unjustified. Thus, Moore lacked apparent authority to enter into a binding contract on behalf of the Board. Brown also contends that the District is bound by operation of the doctrine of promissory estoppel. This doctrine is grounded on the concept of justifiable reliance on the part of a promisee. Smith v. Boise Kenworth Sales, Inc., 102 Idaho 63, 67-68, 625 P.2d 417, 421-22 (1981). Not only did Moore lack authority to make a promise of continued employment on behalf of the District, Brown's reliance on such a promise is unjustified in light of I.C. § 33-513. Thus, the doctrine of promissory estoppel is inapplicable. The order of the district court granting summary judgment on the issue of the formation of an employment contract is, therefore, affirmed.