Stiles v. American General Life Insurance

FINNEY, Chief Justice:

This Court accepted the following question certified by the U.S. District Court:

May an employee who is employed under an employment contract which provides that either party may terminate the agreement “for any reason” with 30-days’ notice — i.e., an at-will contract with a notice provision — maintain a tort action for wrongful discharge in violation of public policy under Ludwick v. This Minute of Carolina, Inc.?1

FACTS

Plaintiff C. Kenneth Stiles signed two employment agreements -with defendant in 1985. Both agreements, which became effective on January 1 1986, contained…