Mallory v. Terminal Investment Corporation

**Mallory v. Terminal Investment Corporation: Worker Wins Reinstatement After Wrongful Firing** This case involved Ramonita Arce Ruberté, an Accountant III who worked for Puerto Rico's Department of Education. Ruberté was fired from her job, but she challenged the termination, claiming it was wrongful. The case went through arbitration, where an independent decision-maker reviews workplace disputes outside of court. The arbitrator ruled in Ruberté's favor, ordering the Department of Education to give her job back and pay all the wages and benefits she lost while wrongfully terminated. The Department appealed this decision to the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals, asking them to overturn the arbitrator's ruling. However, the appeals court refused to hear the Department's challenge and upheld the original arbitration award. This ruling is significant for workers because it shows that arbitration can be an effective way to fight wrongful termination. When an arbitrator rules that a firing was unjustified, courts will generally support that decision, even when employers try to appeal. Workers who believe they were wrongfully terminated should know that successful challenges can result in getting their jobs back plus compensation for lost income during the dispute period.