12.7.2 Compelled Self-Publication.

• Jurisdiction: Arizona

12.7.2 Compelled Self-Publication. Under the theory of compelled self-publication, an employer may be liable for defamation where a former employee is obligated to reveal to prospective employers the reasons for his or her termination. This often involves a written letter of reference given to the employee, or the employer’s oral statements to the employee about the reasons for the employee’s termination.

The federal district court of Arizona rejected the self-defamation doctrine in Spratt v. Northern Automotive Corp.¹²⁷ Spratt cited Restatement (Second) of Torts as support for the position that “there is no defamation where the...