Friday, November 13, 2015

Wrongful Termination in Ohio

Doctor who was fired claimed was wrongfully terminated

What is wrongful termination in Ohio?

Wrongful termination in Ohio requires a plaintiff to "establish the existence of clear public policy, that a dismissal of employees under the circumstances employed in the particular case would jeopardize the public policy, that the dismissal was related to the public policy, and that the employer lacked an overriding legitimate business justification for the dismissal."

Case Example:

That's just what the jury found happened in the case of McGowan v. Medpace, Inc., 2015-Ohio-3743. That case dealt with wrongful termination in Ohio and the claims made by Dr. McGowan, which were that she was wrongfully terminated in retaliation for reporting what, in her opinion and determination, were violations of HIPAA privacy violations and insurance fraud.

What Damages are Available for a Wrongful Termination in Ohio?

The jury found for Dr. McGowan and determined that her damages totaled $800,000. Of those amounts, $500,000 was for punitive damages; and $300,000 was in lost income. She was also awarded prejudgment interest and attorney's fees, for a total of approximately $1.3 million. The trial lasted approximately 5 hours. The jury was composed of 4 females and 4 males and deliberated for 4 hours and came back with a jury vote of 8-0.