39-2-905. Remedies. (1) If an employer has committed a wrongful discharge, the employee may be awarded lost wages and fringe benefits for a period not to exceed 4 years from the date of discharge, together with interest on the lost wages and fringe benefits. The employee's interim earnings, derived from any new kind, nature, or type of work, hire, contractor status, or employment that did not exist at the time of discharge, including amounts the employee could have earned with reasonable diligence from the work, hire, contractor status, or employment, must be deducted from the amount awarded for lost wages. Before interim earnings are deducted from lost wages, there must be deducted from the interim earnings any reasonable amounts expended by the employee in searching for, obtaining, or relocating to new employment.
(2) Following any verdict or award in favor of the discharged employee, the district court shall consider any monetary payments, compensation, or benefits the employee received arising from or related to the discharge, including unemployment compensation or benefits and early retirement pay, and shall deduct those payments, compensation, and benefits from the amount awarded for lost wages before entering judgment.
(3) The employee may recover punitive damages otherwise allowed by law if it is established by clear and convincing evidence that the employer engaged in actual fraud or actual malice in the discharge of the employee in violation of 39-2-904(1)(a).
(4) There is no right under any legal theory to damages for wrongful discharge under this part for pain and suffering, emotional distress, compensatory damages, punitive damages, or any other form of damages, except as provided for in subsections (1) and (2).
History: En. Sec. 5, Ch. 641, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 442, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 583, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 117, L. 2021.