Alaska Employment Law

Judge Beistline certifies issue of public policy tort to the Alaska Supreme Court

In this case, reported earlier, Judge Beistline has certified the following  question to the Alaska Supreme Court:

Does an at-will employee have a tort public policy claim under Alaska’s implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing when an employer discharges that employee in order to replace her with someone with whom her supervisor had a hoped-for romantic interest?

That language tracks Plaintiff’s proposed wording.  

Fred Meyer had proposed this:

After dismissal of all claims of alleged discrimination on summary judgment, does an at-will employee state a tort public policy claim under Alaska’s implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing by alleging that she was discharged in order to replace her with someone with whom her supervisor had a hoped-for romantic interest?

Johnson v. Fred Meyer Stores, Inc., Case No. 1J-04-008-CV (Order of Oct. 24, 2007)(Docket # 131).