McQuary v. Bel Air Convalescent Home, Inc.

Plaintiff brought this action for wrongful discharge, alleging that she had been fired from her position with defendant because she had threatened to report an instance of staff abuse of one of defendant’s patients. A jury found for defendant; plaintiff appeals. The case presents two issues: (1) Does the common law tort of wrongful discharge apply to an employe who is fired for threatening to report alleged nursing care home patient mistreatment to an appropriate state agency; 2 and (2), if it does, must the plaintiff prove that there has been, in fact, “patient abuse” 3 at defendant’s…