Protecting strongEconomic Stabilitystrong The Washington Supreme Court.pdfVIP

William Mary Journal of Women and the Law Volume 17 | Issue 1 Article 4 P otecting Economic Stability: The Washington Sup eme Cou t B eathes New Life in the Public- Policy Exception to At-Will Employment fo Domestic Violence Victims Ma ga et C. Hobday Repository Citation Margaret C. Hobday, Protecting Eco nomic Stability: Th e Washing ton Supr eme Court Breathes New Lif e in the Public-Policy Excep tion to At-Will Emp loyment for Domestic Violence Victims, 17 Wm. Mary J. Women L. 87 (2010), ttp:///wmjowl/vol17/iss1/4 Copyrig t c 2010 by the authors. This article is broug t to you by the William Mary Law School Scholarship Repository. ttp:///wmjowl PROTECTING ECONOMIC STABILITY: THE WASHINGTON SUPREME COURT BREATHES NEW LIFE IN THE PUBLIC- POLICY EXCEPTION TO AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS MARGARET C. HOBDAY* INTRODUCTION I. WHAT’S EMPLOYMENT LAW GOT TO DO WITH IT? II. THE PUBLIC-POLICY EXCEPTION TO AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT A. Public-Policy Element B. Sources of Public Policy III. PUBLIC POLICY OF ASSISTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS A. Judicial Recognition 1. Apessos v. Memorial Press Group 2. Vance v. Dispatch Management Service 3. Green v. Bryant 4. Imes v. City of Asheville 5. Danny v. Laidlaw Transit Services B. Statutory Support IV. POTENTIAL FOR STATE RECOGNITION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PUBLIC POLICY A. General Acceptance 1. Previous Judicial Recognition 2. Broad Public Policy Definitions 3. Domestic Violence-Specific Workplace Legislation a. Broad Workplace Legislation Strengthens Common-Law Claim b. More Limited Workplace Legislation Supports Claim