No specific laws identified for this ruling.
Employee won wrongful discharge claim under Tennessee Public Protection Act after being fired for refusing to share her government-issued DOD password with her owner-employer. Court affirmed trial court judgment in full.
This appeal concerns an alleged violation of Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-1-304, the Tennessee Public Protection Act ("TPPA"), as well as common law retaliatory discharge. Jennifer King ("King"), a former shipping and receiving coordinator for Delfasco, LLC, a company that manufactures defense-related products, sued Delfasco, LLC and related entity Delfasco Finance, LLC ("Delfasco" collectively) in the Circuit Court for Greene County ("the Trial Court") alleging she was wrongfully fired for refusing to share with Delfasco owner Jack Goldenberg ("Goldenberg") her government-issued password to the Department of Defense ("DOD") Wide Area Workflow ("WAWF") system. King had consulted a DOD representative who advised her not to reveal her password. After a trial, the Trial Court found in favor of King and awarded her damages. Delfasco appeals, arguing among other things that King was not asked to perform an illegal act. King raises her own issues concerning damages. We find, inter alia, that the evidence does not preponderate against the Trial Court's factual findings, and we leave undisturbed the Trial Court's credibility determinations.
King v. Delfasco, LLC: Court Rules in Favor of Fired Employee
What Happened
Jennifer King worked as a shipping and receiving coordinator for Delfasco, LLC, a company manufacturing defense products. Her employer asked her to share her government-issued Department of Defense password with the owner. King refused, believing this violated security rules. Shortly after, Delfasco fired her.
The Court's Decision
Tennessee's appellate court sided with King. The court found that Delfasco violated the Tennessee Public Protection Act by firing her for refusing an illegal request. The law protects workers who refuse to break rules or violate legal requirements, even when their employer demands it. The trial court's judgment in King's favor was upheld completely.
Why This Matters for Workers
This ruling shows that employees have legal protection when they're fired for refusing to do something illegal or violating security regulations. You cannot be legally terminated for following the law or protecting government security protocols. Workers in regulated industries have a right to refuse improper orders without fear of job loss.
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