Progress Printing Co., Inc. v. Nichols

In this employment termination dispute, the primary issue is whether the employment was at will or subject to an employment contract which prohibited termination without just cause and required a written warning prior to termination.

On January 20, 1987, William H. Nichols began to work as a pressman for Progress Printing Company, Inc. The personnel director provided Nichols with a copy of the company’s Employees’ Handbook. The Handbook section entitled “Discipline and Discharge’ ’ stated that the company would not discharge or suspend an employee “without just cause and shall give at least…