Workers Can’t Be Fired For Defending Themselves Violently, Utah Court Rules

The Utah Supreme Court ruled last week that employees who resort to violence when they feel that they are in imminent danger cannot be fired for their actions. The case at hand involved Wal-Mart employees who were fired for wrestling with shoplifters who brandished weapons. When it comes to your job or your life, “We hold that Utah law does not require employees to make that choice,” the court ruled in its 4-to-1 decision. Wal-Mart claimed the employees violated a policy that demanded they withdraw from potentially violent situations and call the police. The ruling applies to a worker who, “reasonably believes that force is necessary to defend against an imminent threat of serious bodily harm and the employee has no opportunity to withdraw.”