Worth H. Percivil, a mechanical engineer, was employed by General Motors (GM) for twenty-six years until he was discharged. At the time his employment was terminated, Percivil was head of GM's Mechanical Development Department.
Percivil sued GM for wrongful discharge. He contends that he was discharged as a result of a conspiracy among his fellow executives to force him out of his employment because of his age, because he had legitimately complained about certain deceptive practices of GM, because he had refused to give the government false information although urged to do so by his superiors, and because he had, on the contrary, undertaken to correct certain alleged misrepresentations made to the government.
GM claims that Percivil's employment was terminable at the will of GM for any reason and with or without cause, provided that the discharge was not prohibited by statute. Has Percivil been wrongly discharged? Why?