wrongful discharge

discharge

transitive verb | \ dis-ˈchärj, ˈdis-ˌchärj \ | dis·charge

  1. a : to relieve of a duty under an instrument (as a contract or a negotiable instrument); also : to render (an instrument) no longer enforceable a formal instrument…may be discharged by either cancellation or surrender —J. D. Calamari and J. M. Perillo : to render (an instrument) no longer enforceable a formal instrument…may be discharged by either cancellation or surrender —J. D. Calamari and J. M. Perillo

    b : to fulfill a requirement for evidence which is required to discharge the burden of going forward —W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.

  1. : to release from confinement, custody, or care discharge a prisoner

  1. a : to dismiss from employment : terminate the employment of

    b : to release from service or duty discharge a jury discharge a witness

  1. a : to get rid of (as a debt or obligation) by performing an appropriate action

    b : to fulfill a requirement for evidence which is required to discharge the burden of going forward —W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.

  1. : to order (a legislative committee) to end consideration of a bill in order to bring it before the house for action

discharge

noun | \ ˈdis-ˌchärj \ | dis·charge

  1. a : the act of relieving of something that burdens or oppresses : release

    b : a release from service or duty

  1. : the state of being discharged or released a party seeking a total discharge

  1. : release from confinement ordering a conditional discharge of the alien on habeas corpus —Harvard Law Review

  1. : the act of removing an obligation or liability (as by payment of a debt or performance of a duty)

  1. a : a dismissal from employment or office

    — constructive discharge
    : discharge of an employee effected by making the employee's working conditions so intolerable that he or she reasonably feels compelled to resign

    — retaliatory discharge
    : a wrongful discharge that is done in retaliation for an employee's conduct (as reporting an employer's criminal activity) and that clearly violates public policy

    — wrongful discharge
    : discharge of an employee for illegal reasons or for reasons that are contrary to public policy (as in retaliation for the employee's refusal to engage in unlawful activity)

    b : a release from service or duty