CA STATECalifornia Supreme Court
1994

Turner v. Anheuser-Busch, Inc.

876 P.2d 1022California Supreme Court • Decided 1994Enforced
FLAGSHIPFlow-DownCited 416 times

HOLDING

Turner, an employee at Anheuser-Busch, claimed he was forced to resign due to intolerable working conditions after complaining about illegal activity. The California Supreme Court ruled against him, establishing that to win a constructive wrongful discharge case, an employee must prove the employer deliberately created or knowingly allowed intolerable conditions—not just that conditions were bad. For subcontractors, this means complaints about poor conditions alone won't support a legal claim unless you can show the contractor intentionally made work impossible.

KEY FINDINGS

Flow-Down

Document everything: If you claim working conditions forced you to quit, you need clear evidence the contractor knew about the problem and did nothing to fix it.

FULL COURT OPINION