Government Has No Obligation to Prevent Wrongful Discharge of Contractor’s Employee

Employees? of? a? government? contractor? allege they were fired for complaining to their employer about work safety violations, such as failure to provide adequate protections while they removed asbestos at the SeaTac Airport terminals.?? They sued the Port of Seattle for failing to prevent their wrongful terminations.?? ?The court affirmed summary judgment for the defendants on the ground that the plaintiffs were not employees of the defendant Port, a sina qua non for a wrongful discharge claim. ?Likewise, the court rejected the employees? attempts to argue they were akin to independent contractors who, the employees? argued, should be protected from discharge (an unresolved issue in Washington). ?Noting that the plaintiffs have a claim against their employer, the court concluded:?? ?Courts generally extend tort doctrines only where existing remedies are inadequate. ?Such is not the case here.? ?Awana v. Port of Seattle, No. 51492-0-I (5/3/04, Ellington,Becker, Cox)