Could I win a wrongful termination suit?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Could I win a wrongful termination suit?
My friend is a pianist at a ballet company. She had to take family leave to care for her mother who was dying from cancer. She was away for 16 weeks. At the end of the 12 week leave allowance, her contract was terminated. However, one month later after her mother passed awaythe ballet said that they would renew her contract on July 1 and would give her work on an hourly basis starting in May until the contract was to start. One month later, in response to an email letting them know she was able to work, the ballet responded that after looking at needs and finances, they were no longer in a position to offer her even part time employment. I know this to be a lie as I work at the same place. We have teachers using CD’s to teach class because we do not have enough pianists AND they are currently advertising for ‘immediate’ need for part time accompanists. Does she have any legal position since they told her in writing that she would be re-hired and because they lied about the reason for the offer being rescinded?
Asked on May 25, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
No, she has no legal recourse based on what you write. A non-contractual promise to hire someone, even if it's in writing, is not enforceable; and an employer is under no legal obligation whatsover to tell prospective employees the reasl reason(s) they are not being hired.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.