Court Opinion

ID: 9845012
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:13:48.521542+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:15:50.241300
License: Public Domain

BISTLINE, J.,
concurs and specially concurs.
YI. OTHER ISSUES.
O’Dell assigns error to the district court’s refusal to give plaintiffs’ requested instructions numbers 49 through 51 and 53 through 55. These proposed instructions dealt with wrongful discharge in breach of public policy, which is an exception to the employment at will doctrine. MacNeil v. Minidoka Mem. Hosp., 108 Idaho 588, 701 P.2d 208 (1985). The trial judge marked instructions numbers 49 through 51 and 55 as “covered;” instructions numbers 53 through 54 were marked “refused.” The trial court’s instruction number 23 instructed the jury that breach of public policy is an exception to the at will employment doctrine. Instructions numbers 37 and 38 further defined what constituted a breach of public policy. Thus, the trial court correctly instructed the jury as to this issue; there is no error.
O’Dell assigns error to the district court’s grant of summary judgment in fa*818vor of the defendants on O’Dell’s claim for breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. At the time of the summary judgment, this claim was not recognized in Idaho in wrongful discharge eases. Our decision in Metcalf v. Intermountain Gas Co., 116 Idaho 622, 778 P.2d 744 (1989), recognized this cause of action. Sorensen v. Comm Tek, Inc., 118 Idaho 664, 799 P.2d 70 (1990), applied the Metcalf ruling retroactively to all cases pending at the time Metcalf was decided on August 8, 1989. O’Dell filed his appeal on May 20, 1988, therefore this issue was pending as of the date of the Metcalf ruling, consequently, we vacate the grant of summary judgment in favor of the defendants and remand for proceedings consistent with Metcalf and Sorensen.
O’Dell assigns error to the denial of his motion to amend his complaint to conform to the evidence by adding a tort claim for intentional interference with contract by Basabe. This motion was made at the close of the trial during the jury instruction conference. The trial judge denied the motion. A motion to amend a pleading is within the discretion of the trial court. Obray v. Mitchell, 98 Idaho 533, 567 P.2d 1284 (1977); I.R.C.P. 15(b). In ruling on the motion, the trial judge stated that in his opinion, Basabe had not been given sufficient notice to properly respond to the claim and that the trial court was given inadequate time to determine the merit of the claim. This reasoning is a sufficient basis to uphold the decision of the trial judge. There is no abuse of discretion.
We have reviewed all other assignments of error raised by all parties and find them to be without merit.
BAKES, C.J., and BISTLINE, JOHNSON and BOYLE, JJ., concur.
CONCLUSION
To summarize, for the reasons previously stated, we hold that the trial court adequately stated its reasons for the grant of a new trial on the various issues raised by the defendants with the exception of the new trial as to punitive damages. We remand the remittitur and the alternative grant of a new trial on the issue of punitive damages based on the breach of employment contract and the breach of the contract to reinstate for more specific findings consistent with Dinneen v. Finch and Quick v. Crane.
We hold that future lost wages is an element of damages for causes of action based upon breach of employment contract, breach of contract to reinstate, and for violation of the Idaho Human Rights Act. We reverse the grant of a new trial on the issues of liability on the claims for breach of the employment contract, breach of contract of reinstatement, and for the violation of the Idaho Human Rights Act. We further hold that O’Dell, under the particular circumstances of this controversy, was not under any obligation to accept Simplot’s offer of employment in the Food Division. This does not change our general rule requiring mitigation of damages. We reverse the grant of a new trial on the issue of damages on the claims of breach of employment contract and retaliatory discharge. We affirm the grant of a new trial as to the claims of a second violation of the Idaho Human Rights Act by Simplot and on damages for future lost wages on the claims of breach of employment contract and breach of contract to reinstate. We affirm the award of $35,000 for past economic loss. We vacate the summary judgment in favor of the defendants on the issue of breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and remand for proceedings consistent with Metcalf v. Intermountain Gas Co. and Sorensen v. Comm Tek, Inc.. We affirm the trial court’s denial of O’Dell’s motion to amend his complaint to conform to the evidence.
Costs to appellant O’Dell.