Problem
Jack Sampson had worked as a machinist for Acme Machine, Inc. for the past three years. He was not part of a union and did not have an employment contract. One Friday afternoon, his manager came to him and terminated Jack's employment, asking him to clean out his locker at the end of the workday. The only reason given was that the company was going in a different direction. Although Jack had a misdemeanor assault conviction from ten years prior to joining Acme, his employment record was clean and there was no history of any discipline or productivity-related issues.
Shortly before leaving work on that same Friday and angry about a termination that came seemingly without any reason, Jack got into a fight with a co-worker name Morris and broke Morris' nose. When 5:00 p.m. arrived, Jack clocked out and left Acme for good.
Does Jack have any basis for a wrongful discharge claim against Acme Machine? Explain why or why not and support your conclusion with the law.
Is Acme Machine liable to Morris for the injuries he sustained in the fight with Jack? Under what circumstances is an employer liable for the torts committed by their employees? Could the fight between Jack and Morris expose Acme to a claim for damages made by Morris.