Opinion ID: 203725
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Termination of Dupuy's Employment

Text: NLS has conceded that Dupuy was dismissed for violating the confidentiality provision. [W]here discipline is imposed pursuant to an overbroad rule, that discipline is unlawful regardless of whether the conduct could have been prohibited by a lawful rule. Double Eagle Hotel & Casino, 341 N.L.R.B. 112, 112 n. 3 (2004), enforced, 414 F.3d 1249 (10th Cir.2005); see also Opryland Hotel, 323 N.L.R.B. 723, 728 (1997). While Chairman Schaumber indicated he might question the rule, he conceded he was bound by the precedent set in Double Eagle Hotel, 341 N.L.R.B. 112. [5] NLS claims that the discharge was lawful, relying on Wright Line, a Div. of Wright Line, Inc., 251 N.L.R.B. 1083 (1980), enforced, 662 F.2d 899 (1st Cir. 1981) to argue that NLS can avoid liability if it demonstrates that it would have discharged Dupuy even in the absence of an unlawful reason. NLS contends that it would have terminated Dupuy even in the absence of the confidentiality provision because he was insubordinate and disruptive. These arguments misconstrue the Board's precedent. It also argues that even if its confidentiality provision was unlawful, Dupuy's dismissal did not violate the act because he was not engaged in union or concerted protected activity. Wright Line sets forth the test for assessing cases where the dispute turns on employer motive: whether the employer discharged an employee because of the employee's union affiliation, or whether he acted because of some factor unrelated to the employee's union status. 662 F.2d at 901. Wright Line, however, does not govern here. Under the Board's precedent, where the Board finds an employer rule is invalid, discharge for violating that rule is invalid. See Saia Motor Freight Line, Inc., 333 N.L.R.B. 784, 785 (2001) (Because [the employee] was disciplined for violating the [employer]'s unlawful overly broad ... rule, that discipline itself constitutes a violation of Section 8(a)(3) and (1), without consideration of Wright Line 's dual-motivation analysis.). The Board did not err in not considering that Dupuy would have been discharged in the absence of a violation of the confidentiality provision. The Board supportably relied on its own precedents to determine that any discharge pursuant to an unlawful rule is itself unlawful. The fact that one reason for [an employee's] reprimand was lawful in no way diminishes the fact that the other reason was unlawful. A.T. & S.F. Mem'l Hosps., Inc., 234 N.L.R.B. 436, 436 (1978). We deny NLS's petition for review and enter judgment enforcing the order of the Board.