Court Opinion

ID: 9548075
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 17:57:03.946942+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:18:26.833241
License: Public Domain

WOOD, Judge (concurring in part and dissenting in part). I concur in the discussion and disposition of the § 1983 issue. I also concur in the discussion and disposition of the retaliatory discharge issue. In accordance with that discussion, Bottijliso v. Hutchison Fruit Co., 96 N.M. 789, 635 P.2d 992 (Ct.App.1981), is no longer dispositive on the issue of whether a worker, discharged for seeking or obtaining compensation, has a claim for relief. In my opinion, the worker has a claim for retaliatory discharge once this decision becomes final. I dissent from the disposition of the breach of contract claim. The trial court dismissed the contract claim for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. NMSA 1978, Civ.P.R. 12(b)(6) (Repl.Pamp.1980). Such a dismissal is improper if a plaintiff is entitled to relief under any state of facts provable under the claim. Pattison v. Ford, 82 N.M. 605, 485 P.2d 361 (Ct.App.1971). Defendants’ attempt to justify dismissal of the breach of contract claim on the basis that the evidence was insufficient is a spurious argument. The trial court ruled the claim provided no basis for relief, not that the evidence was insufficient. Defendants’ reliance on Montoya v. City of Albuquerque, 98 N.M. 46, 644 P.2d 1035 (1982), is not appropriate. Montoya involved a trial court review of the sufficiency of the evidence for a personnel board to dismiss Montoya. That is not the situation in this case; here, plaintiff claims a breach of his employment contract. Plaintiff contends the personnel and procedure policies adopted by TDS were a part of his employment contract, and that his discharge was in violation of those policies. See Forrester v. Parker, 93 N.M. 781, 606 P.2d 191 (1980). The majority opinion avoids Forrester by distinguishing between a probationary and nonprobationary employee. It is not disputed that plaintiff was an employee. The policies, an exhibit in the case, are not written to exclude probationary employees, even if plaintiff was in that status. The policies state that employees terminated involuntarily will be given “a written statement of the reason for the dismissal by the supervisor at the time of such dismissal” and “[n]o employee will be terminated without due administrative process.” Plaintiff relies on the quoted policy provisions. Defendants’ argument that plaintiff was terminated at will assumes no contract provisions applicable to his discharge. That assumption depends on the facts. The claim was not dismissed on the facts, but for failure to state a claim. Certainly a claim was stated, because plaintiff could be entitled to relief under facts provable under the claim of breach of contract.