McGraw v. Bill Hodges Truck Co.

BRIGHTMIRE, Judge.

The pivotal question here is whether an employee possesses an enforceable claim to a bonus for a specified amount which is “given” for efforts put forth during a period ending three months earlier but because of a lack of current funds is not to be paid until the following year, save for hardship situations? We hold he does and affirm.

I

For over 10 years James McGraw had been a valuable and trusted employee of Bill Hodges Trucking Company and, consequently, each year since 1968 he had been given a bonus.

On September 24,1974, Hodges president, Jack Hodges, wrote McGraw a “Dear…