Recent workplace-liability cases can serve as a reminder of the general rule that false oral statements in the workplace or in a "business context can be actionable. The torts are called: Slander: The speaking of false and malicious words concerning another person, whereby injury results to his or her reputation. Defamation: Words which produce any perceptible injury to the reputation of another. These are known as intentional statement torts. They are showing up in more and more discrimination and termination lawsuits. Here's a sampling: An HR manager sued her employer for age discrimination and defamation. The fired manager claimed that her employer reversed a previous raise and abruptly removed her car allowance. After she complained to the payroll department, the car allowance was reinstated. But allegedly when the general manager later demanded back the allowance, she refused, and was fired. She sued under the Federal ADEA (age discrimination) law, the state antidiscrimination statute and case law protecting against defamation. Under this last theory, she claimed that the general manager publicly called her a thief in the presence of coworkers.
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