Chapters 19-21 Apply It

Daria applies for a position at Corinthian Tire Works as an assembly line worker. The only requirements for the job are a high school diploma and the ability to lift thirty pounds. Daria is called in for an interview with the supervisor, Edwardo. The interview goes very well, and Daria is sure she will get the job. Three days later, however, Daria receives a phone call from Edwardo informing her that she did not meet their needs. Edwardo states to Daria that they need to make sure their employees have the stamina required for the job. Daria remembers that during the interview Edwardo kept looking at her medical alert bracelet, which she wears because she is a diabetic. If Daria decides to sue Corinthian Tire Works for discrimination based on disability...

Daria will likely succeed if she can show that her being a diabetic is the only reason she was denied the position because diabetes qualifies as a disability under federal law

Roland and Alfreeda enter into a written agency agreement in which Alfreeda will represent Roland as his agent to obtain acting jobs for Roland. No termination provisions are included in the written agreement. If Roland wishes to terminate his agreement with Alfreeda...

Roland must do so in writing because the agency agreement is in writing

Heather is an artist and has several watercolors she would like to sell. Heather orally asks Rylee to sell the paintings for her and directs Rylee that each painting should be sold for at least $100. Rylee schedules a showing in her art gallery to display Heather's paintings. On the day of the showing, a customer offers to buy one of the paintings for $100, and Rylee accepts. When Heather finds out the price the painting sold for, she tries to get the painting back from the customer. Heather claims that she and Rylee did not have a written agency agreement, and, therefore, an agency relationship did not exist between them. Is Heather correct?

No, most agency agreements do not have to be in writing to be effective

Isaiah wants to build a new shopping complex. Isaiah is afraid that once news gets out about his plans, the price of the land where he wants to build the shopping complex will increase in price. Isaiah, therefore, hires Landon to purchase the parcels of land for him and to keep the fact that Landon is working for Isaiah a secret. Landon enters into a written contract for the sale of the land with Miriam and does not tell Miriam that he is an agent for anyone else on the deal. Isaiah later refuses to buy the property from Miriam. Is Isaiah obligated to perform the contract that Landon entered into with Miriam?

Yes, he is because Landon was acting within the scope of his authority

Onida is an employee at Kale's Manufacturing Company. The company makes bicycle tires, and Onida's job is to inspect the inner tubes before they are inserted into the tires. She recently noticed that the inner tubes are thinner than the safety specifications require. Onida tells her supervisor, Tom, about the problem, and is instructed to ignore it because these thinner tubes save the company money. Onida cannot ignore this problem in good conscience, so she tells Tom that if he is not going to report the problem, she will. Tom then fires Onida. Kale's Manufacturing Company is in an employment-at-will state. If Onida brings a lawsuit for wrongful termination, she will likely...

be successful because she was fired for an unlawful reason

Gerald has been a sales representative for Goldsmith's Department Store for the past five years. When Gerald was hired, the general manager told Gerald that he would have a job there as long as he made $3,000 in sales each month. Every month, Gerald has exceeded that level in sales, so he is surprised when his supervisor calls him into the office and fires him. Gerald tells the supervisor about the promise from the general manager not to fire him as long as his sales were $3,000 each month. The supervisor responds by telling Gerald that the law in this state is employment at will, so he can fire him at any time for any reason. If Gerald sues Goldsmith's for wrongful termination, he will likely...

be successful because the general manager orally promised him that he would remain in his job as long as his sales stayed at a specific level, and he has maintained that level

Bernard and Hilda have both worked for Home Refinance Inc. for many years. Bernard has been with the company for fifteen years, and Hilda has been with the company for nine years. Both Bernard and Hilda are loan managers for the company, so they perform the exact same duties. Hilda discovers that Bernard's salary is twenty percent higher than hers. She cannot believe that she is paid less for the same job just because she is a woman. If Hilda sues the company over the disparity in pay, Hilda's lawsuit will likely...

fail if Home Refinance can prove the difference in pay is due to Bernard's seniority

Marlo is about to be transferred overseas and wants to sell her house. Julianna, who is not a real estate agent, offers to sell the house for Marlo for free. Marlo jumps at the chance to get such a valuable service for free! Because Julianna offered to sell the house for free, Julianna owes Marlo...

no duty to sell the house, but if Julianna does attempt to sell the house, she owes Marlo the duty to use reasonable diligence and skill in performing the task

The faculty at Hopeland University have always been predominantly white. Concerned that it may be discriminating against potential nonwhite faculty members, Hopeland institutes an affirmative action program that provides that fifty percent of any new faculty positions at the university will be reserved for nonwhite applicants. Clara, who is white, applies for a faculty position at Hopeland. The position is given to a black applicant, even though Clara has more teaching experience and higher educational credentials. When Clara challenges the hiring decision by claiming that the Hopeland University affirmative action program violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment...

she may be successful because the Hopeland University affirmative action program uses quotas

Rosemary's son Dave was recently injured in a car accident and now needs round-the-clock care. Rosemary works at the Silver Spoon Café, which has 63 employees. Rosemary advises her supervisor that she needs to take time off to care for Dave. Rosemary quickly uses up all her accrued leave time, so she applies for time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Under the FMLA, Rosemary may take unpaid time off to care for her injured son for up to...

twelve weeks

Benjamin works for The Cabinet Maker, a large manufacturing plant that makes ready-to-hang cabinets for the kitchen and bath. Benjamin is running a table saw that cuts wood into strips to make a cabinet. As Benjamin loads wood onto the conveyer belt, he slips on the concrete floor and falls into the table saw. Benjamin's face and arms are severely injured by the table saw, and he is rushed to the hospital. Benjamin's injuries are so severe that he is admitted to the hospital for four days. The Cabinet Maker must file a report of Benjamin's work-related injury with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) within...

twenty-four hours

Mateo is sixteen years old and just got his first job bagging groceries at Harry's Market, a local grocery store. During the school year, Mateo works limited hours after school and on the weekends. Now that school is out, Harry's Market increases Mateo's hours to six days a week and eight hours a day. Mateo's mother Isabel is concerned about Mateo working such long hours. She knows there is a federal law, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), that protects children from working long hours and too many days per week. When Isabel raises the issue with Mateo's supervisor, Mateo's supervisor explains to Isabel that...

under the FLSA, children who are sixteen or seventeen years old may work unlimited hours as long as they work in nonhazardous jobs

Fritz applies for a job as a waiter at Mexico Cantina. Three positions are available, but he is not hired for any of them. Fritz inquires about his application and is informed by the restaurant manager that they could not hire him because he is not Hispanic. Fritz is told that Mexico Cantina wants its patrons to experience an authentic Mexican dining event in its restaurant, so Mexico Cantina will only hire female Mexican wait staff, who are then required to dress in traditional Mexican outfits. Fritz sues for employment discrimination, claiming that Mexico Cantina discriminated against him because he is not Hispanic. Mexico Cantina responds to the lawsuit by claiming that being female and Hispanic are bona fide occupational qualifications (BFOQ). Fritz will probably...

win the lawsuit because race is not a bona fide occupational qualification

Bill and Mark have lived together for twenty years, and they finally decide to get married. Three days after their marriage, Bill returns to his job at Hometown Furnishings. When his supervisor finds out that Bill has just gotten married to a man, she immediately fires Bill. Bill is devastated; he has worked for Hometown Furnishings for five years and never had an issue of any kind. The next day, Bill and Mark go to see an attorney to discuss Bill's options. The attorney will likely advise Bill that...

Hometown Furnishings firing him because he is gay violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Kyle is being deployed to the Middle East and will be gone for one year. Kyle asks Delilah to sell his house for him while he is gone. In this arrangement between Kyle and Delilah...

Kyle is the principal and Delilah is the agent