United States Third Circuit

In 1999, defendant Allstate decided to reorganize its business and terminate the at-will employment contracts of some 6,200 sales agents, offering them the opportunity to work as independent contractors. As a condition of becoming independent contractors, agents were required to sign a release waiving existing legal claims against Allstate. Plaintiff brought suit against Allstate, alleging that the company violated federal antiretaliation laws. Summary judgment entered in favor of Allstate is affirmed, where: 1) in offering each of its employee agents the Conversion Option, Allstate followed the well-established rule that employers can require terminated employees to waive existing legal claims in order to receive unearned post-termination benefits; and 2) plaintiff has neither given reason to craft an exception to this rule nor articulated a valid retaliation claim under the relevant statutes.

Appellate Information

• Decided 03/26/2015
• Published 03/26/2015

Judges

• Hardiman

Court

• United States Third Circuit

Counsel