Court Opinion

ID: 9791951
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 02:20:53.793578+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:39.686234
License: Public Domain

*705Steffen, J.,
concurring:
I concur only in the result reached by the majority.
Standing alone, I do not view the evidence of discussions antedating and postdating Farmer’s employment as a sufficient basis for overcoming the presumption of at-will employment. It would appear, however, that the employee handbook issued by ABS strongly corroborates Farmer’s contention that he was informed that he would be subject to discharge only for cause. If ABS intends to have its employees working on a terminable-at-will basis, it should pay attention to representations expressed in its employee handbook.
Although I do not favor the judicial conversion of employee handbooks to instruments of contract in general, I do recognize that employers may expressly undertake obligations to their employees that negate employment relationships that would otherwise be terminable at will. In the instant case, testimony favorable to Farmer’s position was sufficiently corroborated by the employee handbook to permit jury consideration of the nature of the employment relationship. Although the evidence was conflicting, we do not interfere with findings of the trier of fact where, as here, there is substantial supporting evidence.
I separately concur in the result of the opinion written by my respected brother Rose only because I am fearful-that some of the language of the opinion, including conclusions reached and authorities cited, may unduly encourage the filing of future wrongful termination actions of dubious merit.