Legal Question in Employment Law in Michigan

Employer withheld info that my position was being eliminated for 4 mos.

Hi, friends... and my thanks in advance. I am a store manager of a retail store in a mall. I have proof that my employer (who owns many mall stores) knew back in August that my store's spot (lease) was sold. They finally got around to telling me in December, two weeks before Christmas, when they knew that I'd be too busy and panicked to quit before they could use me to get through the busy period. They are purposefully not offering veteran (read: well-paid) managers other positions, either. Also, at the same time that they knew that my spot would be closing, there was another vacancy in another store, but they refused my request to be transferred (I wanted a spot closer to home) because they wanted their ''best manager'' at the store where I was. Do I have any legal recourse? If they had told me earlier, I could have had another job by now, and they knew that. Now, I only have until the end of January. They are offering me a severance, and I know that if I sign that, then I have no case period.


Asked on 1/13/03, 9:39 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
William Morrison Action Defense Center

Re: Employer withheld info that my position was being eliminated for 4 mos.

Assuming you have no written employment contract (or if you do, it contains the words "terminable at will") the only relief available lies under state /federal civil rights acts, i.e. you may have a claim if you can show that your employer's decision to terminate your employment was influenced by your age, race, sex, religion,national origin or handicap.

If you are a healthy white male under the age of 55 you realistically have no relief available.

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Answered on 1/13/03, 3:13 pm


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