In re Certified Question (Bankey v. Storer Broadcasting Co.)
Michigan Supreme Court
443 N.W.2d 112 (1989)
- Written by Kelsey Libby, JD
Facts
Kenneth Bankey (plaintiff) worked as a salesman for Storer Broadcasting Company (Storer) for several years until he was terminated for poor job performance in 1981. As of 1980, Storer’s personnel-policy manual stated that employees could be discharged only for cause. In 1981, Storer issued a revised manual that removed the for-cause language and stated that employment was at will. Bankey sued Storer for violation of the employment contract. The district court held as a matter of law that the 1980 manual established a for-cause employment contract and Storer could not switch to an employment-at-will relationship as to existing employees. Storer appealed, and the court of appeals certified the question of whether an employer may unilaterally eliminate a termination-for-cause provision to the Michigan Supreme Court.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Griffin, J.)
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