Legal Question in Employment Law in Pennsylvania

verbal employment agreement

My brother was working in Philadelphia and was put in contact with a brother of a friend in Washington DC. The brother in DC, for several months spoke about my brother gaining employment with him. He worked for a very large company in DC. Before anything could move forward the company had to check to make sure that my brothers security clearence remained intact since his leaving the Marine Corps. He was later told that his clearance was just fine and it looked like the job was his. He then spoke to the brothers supervisor at the company and was told that the job was his and that he could break his apartment lease and give his notice at his current employer. He did both and since has moved out of his apartment and is now unemployed. After leaving Philadelphia he was told that the Human resources department would be contacting him to give him his start date and his rate of salary. He waited for 2 weeks and after numerous phone calls, did not receive a reply. He finally received a phone call after 2 1/2 weeks and was told that his security clearance did not go through and the job was no longer available to him. There was nothing he could do. So now he is homeless and unemployed. Is there anything we can do?


Asked on 4/28/09, 9:19 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Terrence Valko ERISA Disability Lawyer

Re: verbal employment agreement

This is a classic detrimental reliance case where the reliance to detriment serves as a substitute Consideration in quasi-contract.

If the Judge is dumb, you cannot win. If the Judge is smart, you still may get nothing.

I can't imagine a lawyer taking the case on a contingent fee because of the unlikliness of a recovery. You ask if there is anything you can do. Perhaps buying a hundred hours of attorney time could shake something loose, but that would cost 20,000 or so and probably not get you what you want.

Good Luck.

TV

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Answered on 4/30/09, 11:41 am


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