Opinion ID: 1684005
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: stock option and dental benefits

Text: Wyeth's stock option plan provides that terminated employees are entitled to exercise the option within ninety days of termination. However, the exercise of the option is not permitted if the employee is fired for gross misconduct or if the employee voluntarily resigns. Although plaintiff had the option to buy three hundred ninety shares of Wyeth stock, he only attempted to buy ten shares after his termination. Defendant did not allow plaintiff to purchase the stock, contending that he was not entitled to exercise the option because he was fired for gross misconduct. In State v. O'Hara, 252 La. 540, 211 So.2d 641, 648 (1968), we defined gross misconduct where the issue was removal of a judge from office: `Misconduct', in general, is improper conduct or wrong behavior, but as used in speech and in law it implies that the conduct complained of was willed and intentional. It is more than that conduct which comes about by reason of error of judgment or lack of diligence. It involves intentional wrongdoing or total lack of concern for one's conduct. Whether or not an act constitutes misconduct must be determined from the facts surrounding the act, the nature of the act, and the intention of the actor. `Gross' is generally defined as `flagrant' and `extreme'. Judge O'Hara's conduct was not found to rise to the level of gross misconduct although he had a very intimate and personal relationship with a contractor, Zachary A. Strate, who was convicted in an Illinois federal court of mail and wire fraud and conspiring to defraud. The court found that O'Hara associated with Strate knowing he had been convicted in a federal district court of a felony; that he used his title of judge and the prestige of his office in an attempt to obtain evidence in order to set aside a conviction in a federal court, and that he accepted gifts and gratuities from Strate. Although O'Hara was found guilty of misconduct, the court did not find him guilty of that flagrant and extreme misconduct which would constitute gross misconduct and which would warrant his removal. We find the same thing to be true in this case. Although plaintiff's actions amounted to misconduct and justified the termination of his employment, we do not find his conduct amounted to gross misconduct such that he should be denied the stock option rights which he sought to exercise. Plaintiff, a drug salesman, was guilty of falsifying company records in order to meet his quota of doctor calls per week. He said he was doing work which he was not doing. Considering his entire performance as disclosed by the record of this case, this conduct does not amount to gross misconduct. However, plaintiff is only entitled to the ten shares of stock he sought to purchase within the ninety days of his termination. The record supports an award of $491.20, the difference between the $27.75 option price per share and $76.87 market price per share on the day of the trial. Plaintiff also claims that Wyeth refused to pay $350 of dental benefits which were owed him under a dental benefits insurance policy. In a suit for damages, it is plaintiff's burden to prove the damages he suffered as a result of defendant's fault, and to support the award, there must be evidence in the record. Borden, Inc. v. Howard Trucking Co., Inc. 454 So.2d 1081 (La. 1983); McCandless v. Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Co., 239 La. 983, 120 So.2d 501 (1960); Jeanfreau v. Sanderson, 239 La. 51, 117 So.2d 907 (1960); Andrus v. White, 236 La. 28, 106 So.2d 705 (1959); Tadin v. New Orleans Public Service Inc., 226 La. 629, 76 So.2d 910 (1955). From a careful review of the exhibits, it appears that the only claim which plaintiff proved was not paid was the $50 claim for his son Daniel. For the foregoing reasons, the judgments of the courts below are reversed in part and affirmed in part. The judgments as to the breach of employment contract and the claim of defamation are reversed and there is now judgment in favor of defendants, Wyeth Laboratories, Inc. and American Home Products Corporation, and against plaintiff, Edwin P. Brannan, on those two claims; the judgment for the breach of the stock option plan is reduced to $491.20, and the judgment for dental benefits is reduced to $50.00, both with legal interest from date of demand until paid, all at the cost of the defendants.