Contractor fired for calling police to report a crime

[Kalebadam]

State: Arizona

 

[Kalebadam]

More informatikn

On June 26, 2017. I contacted Military Police to report what I believed what animal abuse. Once they police and animal control arrived they determined that do my company providing food and water for the animal that their is no evidence the owners were not providing sufficient food and water. Upon calling animal control my former boss texted me and terminated my contract. Previous times she has informed my co-workers that she did not want to contact animal control if we witnessed animal control. She stated that "it can affect the business". I am a independent contractor and she has a policy stating she can terminate us at any time, but I am wondering if she is firing me for reporting a crime can she still legally fire me. I was looking up laws, but only found Whistleblower law. I am wanting to sue her for wrongful termination. My fellow co worker was going to take screenshots of conversations we have had in the in the past about animal neglect/abuse we have witnessed but my former boss deleted the group chat last night and started a new one. She has never done this before and I believe she did it to delete any evidence I may use in court. My co worker is an animal control officer and stated that what we witnesses was animal neglect. I need advice if I should pursue legal action against the company. Thank you

 

[Zigner]

You're a contractor, not an employee.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

A company or person can stop doing business with another entity anytime they want to for pretty much any reason they want to. Even things that would be illegal reasons if there was an employer-employee relationship.

In this case, even if there was an employer-employee relationship, you could be fired with no legal recourse because the reason they terminated the relationship wasn't illegal.

 

[Zigner]

A company or person can stop doing business with another entity anytime they want to for pretty much any reason they want to. Even things that would be illegal reasons if there was an employer-employee relationship.

In this case, even if there was an employer-employee relationship, you could be fired with no legal recourse because the reason they terminated the relationship wasn't illegal.

To be clear, this is not a case of being "fired". This is a case of a contract not being continued.
If I cancel my phone service, I haven't "fired" the phone service provider, I've merely discontinued the contract.

 

[Kalebadam]

Reply

I still didn't get my question answered. You just said that I'm not an employee which I already know about.

 

[Zigner]

I still didn't get my question answered. You just said that I'm not an employee which I already know about.

Please read the entire thread before responding.

 

[LdiJ]

I still didn't get my question answered. You just said that I'm not an employee which I already know about.

What they are trying to tell you is because you were not an employee, no protections that would apply to employees apply to you. You cannot sue for wrongful termination, you cannot use the whistleblower laws you cannot do anything that an employee might have been able to do. You were a contractor and your contract was terminated.

You would have to read over your contract to see if there is anything at all in the contract that would be considered a breech on the part of the other party. That would control whether or not there was anything you could sue for. All contracts are different.

 

[justalayman]

On top of everything else you said the police and animal control did not find a neglect/abuse situation.

 

[cbg]

I need advice if I should pursue legal action against the company.

No. You have no basis on which to pursue legal action against the company.

There. Your question has been answered.

 

[Kalebadam]

Reply

Yes, I completely understand that my contract was terminated, what I am asking is there 0 protection for someone being "fired" for reporting a crime. My boss prior to this was informed of legitimate animal abuse and refused to report it and instead terminated the services with the client. If I have no legal ramifications for myself, is there any for the fact that she ignored repeated attempts to get animals help?

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

To be clear, this is not a case of being "fired". This is a case of a contract not being continued.
If I cancel my phone service, I haven't "fired" the phone service provider, I've merely discontinued the contract.

To be even more clear I used the term "Fired" when I was saying that he would have no legal recourse even if there was an Employer-Employee relationship.

 

[CTU]

Yes, I completely understand that my contract was terminated, what I am asking is there 0 protection for someone being "fired" for reporting a crime. My boss prior to this was informed of legitimate animal abuse and refused to report it and instead terminated the services with the client. If I have no legal ramifications for myself, is there any for the fact that she ignored repeated attempts to get animals help?

You said this (emphasis mine):

I contacted Military Police to report what I believed what animal abuse. Once they police and animal control arrived they determined that do my company providing food and water for the animal that their is no evidence the owners were not providing sufficient food and water.

There. Is. No. Case.

 

[cbg]

Please identify what duty your boss had UNDER THE LAW to take any action.

 

[quincy]

On June 26, 2017. I contacted Military Police to report what I believed what animal abuse. Once they police and animal control arrived they determined that do my company providing food and water for the animal that their is no evidence the owners were not providing sufficient food and water. Upon calling animal control my former boss texted me and terminated my contract. Previous times she has informed my co-workers that she did not want to contact animal control if we witnessed animal control. She stated that "it can affect the business". I am a independent contractor and she has a policy stating she can terminate us at any time, but I am wondering if she is firing me for reporting a crime can she still legally fire me. I was looking up laws, but only found Whistleblower law. I am wanting to sue her for wrongful termination. My fellow co worker was going to take screenshots of conversations we have had in the in the past about animal neglect/abuse we have witnessed but my former boss deleted the group chat last night and started a new one. She has never done this before and I believe she did it to delete any evidence I may use in court. My co worker is an animal control officer and stated that what we witnesses was animal neglect. I need advice if I should pursue legal action against the company. Thank you

Following is a link to a comprehensive look at independent contractors and wrongful discharge. Several states have indicated that discharges in violation of public policy should not depend on a showing of an employment relationship.

"Wrongful Discharge of Independent Contractors: A Source-Derivative Approach to Deciding Who May Bring a Claim for Violation of Public Policy," by Lisa J. Bernt, 2000, Yale Law Review & Policy Review:Vol 19: Iss 14.

http://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1410&context=ylpr

And here is a link to Harper v. Healthsource New Hampshire, 674 A.2d 962 (1996): https://www.courts.state.nh.us/supreme/opinions/1996/95-535.htm

A wrongful termination complaint by a non-employee was allowed in New Hampshire based on a public policy violation back in 1996. Other states have followed the New Hampshire Supreme Court's lead. These cases, however, remain the exception rather than the rule.