Section 5 Other Federal or State Statutes or Constitutional Provisions

• Library: Emp-Emp Law 2000

As long as an employer qualifies as a covered employer under the applicable federal or state statute or constitutional requirement, protection against unjust termination extends to an employee who is discharged based on, e.g.:

• Engaging or not engaging in union or concerted protected activities. 29 U.S.C. § 158(a)(1) (employees under National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), 49 Stat. 449). Employees under the Railway Labor Act, 44 Stat. 577, have a similar protection for engaging or not engaging in union activities. 45 U.S.C. § 152, Fourth. Protected “concerted activities” will extend to nonunion employees. 29 U.S.C. § 157

• Filing charges or giving testimony under the NLRA. 29 U.S.C. § 158(a)(4)

• Refusing to work under abnormally dangerous conditions. 29 U.S.C. § 143 (employees under NLRA). Railroad employees have a similar protection. 49 U.S.C. § 20109(b)

• Race, color, national origin, religion, creed. 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a); 42 U.S.C. § 1981 (race and color); § 213.055, RSMo Supp. 1999. See Kneibert v. Thomson Newspapers, Mich., Inc., 129 F.3d 444 (8^th Cir. 1997); Cross v. Cleaver, 142 F.3d 1059 (8^th Cir. 1998)

• Ancestry. Section 213.055.

• Sex. 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a); § 213.055.

• Age, if the employee’s age is at least forty under federal law, 29 U.S.C. §§ 631(a) and 623(a), or at least forty and under seventy under state law, §§ 213.055 and 213.010, RSMo Supp. 1999. See Rothmeier v. Investment Advisers, Inc., 85 F.3d 1328 (8^th Cir. 1996).

• Handicap, if employed by a federal contractor or involved in a program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Pub. L. No. 93-112, 87 Stat. 355, 29 U.S.C. §§ 793 and 794; Exec. Order No. 11246, 41 C.F.R. § 60-1.1. But there is no private right of action for the discharged employee. Simon v. St. Louis County, Mo., 656 F.2d 316 (8^th Cir. 1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 976 (1982).

• Disability. 42 U.S.C. § 12112; § 213.055. The federal statute also prohibits employers from discharging an employee for attempting to enforce the provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101, et seq. See Kiel v. Select Artificials, Inc., 169 F.3d 1131 (8^th Cir. 1999).

• Military service. In most cases, a reinstated veteran cannot be discharged without cause for one year after reinstatement. 38 U.S.C. § 4316(c)(1).

• Exercising rights guaranteed by the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, 52 Stat. 1060. 29 U.S.C. §§ 215(a)(3) and 216(b). See Saffels v. Rice, 40 F.3d 1546 (8^th Cir. 1994).

• Exercising rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Pub. L. No. 91-596, 84 Stat. 1590. 29 U.S.C. § 660(c).

• Exercising rights or attaining rights under ERISA. 29 U.S.C. § 1140. See Hazen Paper Co. v. Biggins, 507 U.S. 604 (1993). The McDonnell Douglas burden shifting analysis from discrimination cases applies to these ERISA retaliation claims...