Novosel v. Nationwide Insurance Co.
The U.S. Court of Appeals found that Novosel had stated a valid claim for wrongful discharge and remanded the case for trial. In passing, the Court of Appeals said:
Although Novosel is not a government employee, the public employee cases do not confine themselves to the narrow question of state action. Rather, these cases suggest that an important public policy is in fact implicated wherever the power to hire and fire is utilized to dictate the terms of employee political activities. In dealing with public employees, the cause of action arises directly from the Constitution rather than from common law developments. The protection of important political freedoms, however, goes well beyond the question whether the threat comes from state or private bodies.
