Ohio
How Baker v. Am. Airlines, Inc. applies in Ohio: state-specific rules, key cases, and bar exam notes for Employment Law.
Ohio courts generally uphold the principle that employment contracts are terminable at will, but recognize exceptions for public policy and implied contracts as illustrated in Baker v. Am. Airlines, Inc.
In Ohio, an employee may not be terminated for reasons that violate public policy, nor can an employer disregard the terms of an implied contract that affects employment security.
Reinforced the public policy exception by holding that a teacher could not be terminated for reporting unlawful activities.
Clarified the criteria for claims of wrongful termination based on public policy in Ohio.
Established that employees may have implied contracts based on handbooks or company policies.
Ohio's approach mirrors the federal standard in recognizing at-will employment but also emphasizes the state's unique exceptions for public policy and implied contracts, which may be more expansive than federal protections under the Employment-at-Will Doctrine.
Questions regarding wrongful termination and public policy exceptions based on Baker v. Am. Airlines, Inc. are frequently tested topics in the Ohio bar exam.