Court Opinion

ID: 9554055
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 19:40:41.401682+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:32:56.182150
License: Public Domain

Judge DAVIDSON
specially concurring:
I agree that the commitments in the employee handbook, particularly the paragraphs describing wage and salary admin*830istration, and the conduct of the parties together establish a contract implied in fact. See Colo-Tex Leasing, Inc. v. Neitzert, 746 P.2d 972 (Colo.App.1987). However, I disagree that the circumstances of the case create an express contract. Therefore, I specially concur in the result reached by the majority.
Both contracts implied in fact, as present here, and express contracts require a meeting of the minds. Colo-Tex Leasing, Inc. v. Neitzert, supra. In an express contract, the agreement must be manifested in words. In an implied contract, on the other hand, a meeting of minds can be manifested by a combination of words and action. See J. Calamari & J. Perillo, Contracts § 1-12 (1977). Here, it is the combination that establishes the agreement.
In light of the fact, as the majority notes, that the employee handbook here included detailed wage and salary guidelines and in light of the importance of the actions of both parties in creating the contract, I also write specially to clarify that our decision today does not hold that the general language concerning equal employment opportunity for all in itself creates a contract. See Conkwright v. Westinghouse Electric Corp., 739 F.Supp. 1006 (D.Md.1990); Lofton v. Wyeth Laboratories, Inc., 643 F.Supp. 170 (E.D.Pa.1986).