Court Opinion

ID: 9654950
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 18:55:27.720368+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:14.920515
License: Public Domain

Fine, J.
¶ 27 (dissenting). In my view, this case is governed by Skebba v. Kasch, 2006 WI App 232, 297 Wis. 2d 401, 724 N.W.2d 408, which was decided after the trial court entered the judgment from which Joe Tynan appeals. The trial court's analysis, which the Majority seems to adopt in toto, was, therefore not guided by Skebba. Although the Majority cites Skebba, it ignores its teaching. Accordingly, I respectfully dissent.
*540¶ 28. The crux of this case is the jury's verdict. As the Majority recognizes:
The jury found that in late October 1999, Lee promised Tynan that if he came to work for JBVBB full time, he would be paid an incentive bonus and an equity growth bonus and that if his employment was terminated, he would be entitled to the continuation of his salary and benefits for a period following termination. The jury also found that in reliance upon Lee's promise, Tynan decided to go to work for JBVBB and move his family from Lincoln, Nebraska to Milwaukee.
Majority, ¶ 7. Thus, the jury found that Tynan did things (agreed to work for JBVBB full time, which required him to move to Milwaukee from Nebraska) because he was promised three things: (1) an incentive bonus; (2) an equity-growth bonus; and (3) if he was fired, his salary and health benefits for, as phrased by the verdict, "a period of time." Significantly, in light of Skebba, none of these promises, upon which the jury found Tynan relied, were tied to any other element of Tynan's income, his ability to find other work, or anything else — the promises were the quid pro quo for Tynan's move to Milwaukee and agreement to work for JBVBB.
¶ 29. Just as in Skebba, where the employer, Jeffrey C. Kasch, d/b/a M.W Kasch Co., "enjoyed the fruits of Skebba's reliance," 2006 WI App 232, ¶¶ 12, 14, 297 Wis. 2d at 411, 413, 724 N.W.2d at 412, 413, JBVBB enjoyed the fruits of Tynan's reliance. He is, as was Skebba, entitled to receive JBVBB's "specific performance promised" — his incentive bonus, his equity-growth bonus, and his salary and health benefits — all neither defeated nor reduced by the considerations applied by the trial court. See ibid. ("[T]o prevent injustice, the equitable remedy for Skebba to receive is *541Kasch's specific performance promised — payment of the $250,000" unreduced by anything else because "Skebba's loss has nothing to do with what he might have earned on another job. Income from the rejected job was never a part of the calculus of the promise made and relied upon.").
¶ 30. I would remand to the trial court to determine the dollar value of the three things JBVBB promised Tynan but never gave him.