There are a variety of different reasons why a person in Tennessee would be terminated from his or her position. However, when there is a contract in place and a termination occurs, the employee may need guidance from an experienced employment law attorney in order to ensure he or she is treated lawfully. One man in another state has recently taken such action, claiming that he was a victim of a wrongful termination.
The man was the head basketball coach at an out-of-state college. A recently filed lawsuit claims that he was dismissed from his position in March 2016 even though he still had two years remaining on his contract. His dismissal allegedly came after several anonymous emails were sent to the university, making accusations of ethical and academic misconduct.
However, he claims that the emails were sent as a form of retaliation. The vice president for the University of the Pacific allegedly asked the coach to force his assistant coach to retire. This request reportedly came because the vice president disapproved of his daughter’s interracial relationship with the assistant coach. The coach claims that the vice president’s daughter sent the anonymous emails, at her father’s prompting, because she blames him for the assistance coach’s resignation. The lawsuit further alleges that the vice president began soliciting another head coach before his contract had ended; that coach was hired two weeks after the plaintiff’s termination.
The dismissed coach is asking for $800,000 in lost wages in addition to punitive damages. The vice president named in court papers has denied the claims made against him, and his daughter has declined to make further comment. Unfortunately, people in Tennessee also find themselves facing employment law issues, including wrongful termination, when they do not have the legal training that allows them to properly respond. An attorney can help them fully understand their legal options and take appropriate action.
Source: recordnet.com, “Ex-Pacific coach files wrongful termination suit”, Bob Highfill, March 15, 2017