Lane v. First Union Natl. Bank, No. Cv01-0446552 (Mar. 20, 2001)

**Lane v. First Union National Bank: What Workers Need to Know** This case involved an employee who sued First Union National Bank after workplace issues led to emotional distress and other problems. The employee filed three separate legal claims against the bank: one for negligent infliction of emotional distress, one under Connecticut's consumer protection laws, and one for breach of contract. The court made a split decision on these claims. It threw out the emotional distress claim, ruling that the employee couldn't pursue that particular type of lawsuit against the bank. However, the court allowed the other two claims to move forward - the consumer protection violation and the breach of contract claim could continue in court. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling shows that while it can be difficult to sue employers for emotional distress caused by workplace conduct, workers may still have other legal options available. Employees might be able to pursue claims if their employer violated consumer protection laws or broke the terms of their employment contract. Workers facing workplace problems should know that even if one type of legal claim doesn't work, there may be other ways to seek justice through the courts.