Full question:
My daughter worked for a bar and was being harassed by the other girls. She took her concerns to the owners and was told if she had any problems to come to them. The harassment continued and she opted to quit the job. She got another job and made the mistake of telling the owners where she would be working. Her former employers (at the bar) called her new employer and wanted them to know what a lousy worker she was, how undependable she was and just what they were getting in a new employee. Doe she have any recourse against her former employers?
- Category: Civil Actions
- Subcategory: Defamation
- Date:
- State: Michigan
Answer:
A form of publication (whether in writing or verbal) which tends to cause one to lose the esteem of the community is defamation. This is injury to reputation. A person is liable for the defamation of another. In order to prove defamation, the plaintiff must prove: 1) that a statement was made about the plaintiff’s reputation, honesty or integrity that is not true; 2) publication to a third party (i.e., another person hears or reads the statement; and 3) the plaintiff suffers damages as a result of the statement.
Slander is a form of defamation that consists of making false oral statements about a person which would damage that person's reputation. If I were to spread a rumor that my neighbor has been in jail and this is not true, I could be held liable for slander. Defamation which occurs by written statements is known as libel.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.
