Question: Can comments made by a manager about an employee's personality and alleged confrontations with a client constitute defamation, and could the subsequent termination based on these comments be considered wrongful termination?

Answer: Statements made about having a challenging personality and an alleged confrontation with a client do not rise to the level of defamation unless they were made with the intent of knowing they were incorrect and meant to tarnish reputation. Regarding wrongful termination, it would be difficult to pursue a case since the termination was based on reaching out to a client for personal reasons, which the company could argue was outside the bounds of acceptable conduct. The conduct does not need to be explicitly stated in the employment contract for it to be the cause for termination if it's understood as standard protocol.

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Related definitions:
Wrongful Termination
Privacy and Defamation
Employment
Legal Process
Attorney Elizabeth Jennings
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