Summary
The Supreme Court of Kansas answered certified questions concerning whether Kansas recognizes a public-policy tort for retaliatory discharge of an employee who exercises rights under the Federal Employers Liability Act. The court held that Kansas law recognizes such a tort and that remedies available through Railway Labor Act arbitration do not constitute an adequate alternative remedy precluding the state-law claim. The opinion discusses Kansas's employment-at-will exceptions, public policy, collective bargaining agreements, and the adequacy of arbitral remedies.
Holdings
- Kansas law recognizes a common-law tort for retaliatory discharge based on an injured employee's exercise of rights under FELA.
- RLA arbitration is not an adequate alternative remedy that precludes a Kansas retaliatory-discharge tort claim based on exercising FELA rights.
Questions Presented
- Whether Kansas law recognizes a tort action for retaliatory discharge when an employer terminates an employee for exercising rights under FELA.
- Whether remedies available through RLA arbitration constitute an adequate alternative remedy that precludes a Kansas retaliatory-discharge tort claim.
Disposition
other
Cases Cited (27)
- Flenker v. Willamette Industries, Inc., 266 Kan. 198, 967 P.2d 295 (1998)(followed)
- Palmer v. Brown, 242 Kan. 893, 752 P.2d 685 (1988)(followed)
- Riddle v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 27 Kan. App. 2d 79, 998 P.2d 114 (2000)(followed)
- Murphy v. City of Topeka, 6 Kan. App. 2d 488, 630 P.2d 186 (1981)(followed)
- Petty v. City of El Dorado, 270 Kan. 847, 19 P.3d 167 (2001)(followed)
- Coleman v. Safeway Stores, Inc., 242 Kan. 804, 752 P.2d 645 (1988)(followed)
- Herrera v. San Luis Central Railroad Co., 997 P.2d 1238 (Colo. App. 1999)(followed by analogy)
- Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. v. Norris, 512 U.S. 246, 114 S. Ct. 2239 (1994)(discussed)
- Garley v. Sandia Corp., 236 F.3d 1200 (10th Cir. 2001)(discussed)
- Jarvis v. Nobel/Sysco Food Services Co., 985 F.2d 1419 (10th Cir. 1993)(discussed)
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